Sarfaraz Khan wasn’t initially slated to play in the first Test against New Zealand at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. His inclusion came only after Shubman Gill developed a stiff neck just before the match. Sarfaraz, fresh from scoring a double century in the Irani Cup which helped Mumbai clinch the trophy after 27 years, seized his chance brilliantly. He had previously shown his mettle in the Test series against England, scoring three half-centuries. However, his innovation, despite an unorthodox technique, put India back on track in the ongoing Test.
Known for his hefty first-class average of 69, Sarfaraz has been a dominant force in domestic cricket. His first Test century came up when he drove Tim Southee through extra cover, and that was a moment of pure emotion for him. The century made him the seventh Indian No. 4 to achieve this milestone since 2000, joining legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Ajinkya Rahane, and Virat Kohli.
On Day 3, Sarfaraz faced a challenging situation but managed to build a crucial 136-run partnership with Kohli, helping stabilise India’s innings. Despite losing Kohli at the fag end of the day, Sarfaraz continued his solid performance into the fourth day. His playing style might not win aesthetic points, but his effectiveness is undeniable, particularly in finding gaps to score.
Raised in the traditional Mumbai school of cricket, where big scores and textbook cricketing techniques are the norm, Sarfaraz has developed an unorthodox but effective scoring method. His century was marked by an unusual strategy of avoiding the ‘V’ until his 115th run, instead exploiting the ‘Reverse V’ by targeting third man and fine-leg region mostly. His control over shots was impressive, maintaining over 85 per cent shot control throughout his innings. He middled 76 per cent of his shots while six per cent of them were left alone.
As he completed his century, Sarfaraz’s wagon wheel was unique. 30 per cent of his runs came towards third-man, 20 and 19 per cent towards square leg and point region respectively, 15 and 13 per cent towards mid wicket and cover area respectively. None at the ‘V’.
His approach forced New Zealand to rethink their bowling strategy, as he used late cuts, ramps, and sweeps to disrupt their plans, against the likes of Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips. The Kiwis were forced to bring back their pacers even when the pitch wasn’t assisting anything Sarfaraz’s innings included only a few shots in the traditional ‘V’, that too post his century, highlighting his unique style as he completed 150 runs.
Sarfaraz’s innings, which lasted 295 minutes, was not only entertaining but also pivotal in raising hopes for India. His performance has undoubtedly put pressure on the team management to cement his place in the line-up, in the remainder of the series, and particularly with the upcoming important tour to Australia.
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