Rajkot (Gujarat) [India] : Right-hand batter Sarfaraz Khan opened up on his dismissal after playing a valuable knock for team India on the first day of the third Test match of the five-match series at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Thursday.
Sarfaraz’s hard work came to fruition when he smashed a stylish 62 of 66 balls while coming in at number six on his debut. He put on a sparkling show of batting and looked on course to hit a big score.
However, miscommunication with star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the middle cut short his brilliant debut innings as he was run out by Mark Wood at the non-striker’s end. Both the batters build a partnership of 77 runs.
Sarfaraz was asked about the incident during the press conference following the day’s play in Rajkot, and the batter appeared unconcerned.
“There was a little miscommunication. This is part of the game. Sometimes there is a run-out, sometimes there is a run, and sometimes there is not. So all this goes on. He (Jadeja) said that there was a little miscommunication. And I said that it is okay. It happens. There is nothing big in it,” Sarfaraz said during a post-day press conference.
The 26-year-old thanked the all-rounder for assisting him through his debut. Sarfaraz was apprehensive in the first few balls of his innings, even top-edging a slog sweep. Sarfaraz claimed that Jadeja calmed his anxiety and advised him to play a lengthy innings.
“When I was batting with Jadeja, I told him to play while communicating with me. I like to play that way. He helped me out a lot and supported me. He helped me control my nerves and told me to spend as much time as possible on the crease to understand everything. That is what I did and I scored runs,” he added.
Sarfaraz’s surge to international level has been much anticipated by fans, who have kept an eye on his domestic cricket form. He has been thriving in first-class cricket, most notably the Ranji Trophy, where he top-scored in 2021-22 with 982 runs in six matches, placed fifth in the 2019-20 season with 928 runs in six matches, scoring well in the 2022-23 season as well with 556 runs in six matches.
In the unofficial Test series of three matches against England Lions that earlier happened side-by-side with the series between senior sides, Sarfaraz did well for India A, scoring 96 in a Tour match then 4, 55 and 161 in two unofficial Tests.
In 45 first-class matches, Sarfaraz scored 3,912 runs at an average of 69.85, with 14 centuries and 11 fifties, with the best score being 301*.
