Explore three reasons why Sarfaraz Khan deserves a permanent place in Indian Playing XI. Sarfaraz Khan made the most of Shubman Gill’s injury during the opening game against New Zealand in Bengaluru. The right-handed batter had played 3 Test matches before his chance to play the game in Bengaluru. This was the same venue where the Mumbai-based batter made his IPL debut as a 17-year-old in 2015 for RCB.
Former India skipper and former RCB teammate, Virat Kohli batted at number 3 during the first game. This gave Sarfaraz a chance to bat at number four which is normally occupied by the 35-year-old. The right-handed batter scored a duck in the first innings to mark a low-key return to the national side.
In the 2nd innings, Sarfaraz Khan decided to enthrall and entertain the fans with his brisk and daredevil batting. The right-handed batter hit runs across the park and played a few amazing shots. Two of the shots were straight over the wicket keeper’s head which he normally played in T20 cricket.
Here are the 3 reasons why Sarfaraz Khan deserves a permanent place in the Indian XI
3- Future of Indian middle order
Sarfaraz Khan will be one of the key batters for India in the longest format of the game in the next decade. The 27-year-old will get to bat with the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who are in the last legs of international cricket. With the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara not figuring in India’s plans, the time is ripe for Sarfaraz to stake his claim in the team. The youngster can be seen as a future Indian number 4 as he can play against pace and spin with equal relative ease.
2- Huge run scorer in the longer formats
After a slow start to his Ranji career, Sarfaraz Khan came back to Mumbai after a solitary season with Uttar Pradesh. The 27-year-old took the world by storm during the Ranji season in 2020 where he hit triple and double centuries with relative ease. If the experts felt it was a one-season occurrence, Sarfaraz proved them wrong. Mumbai’s batting sensation continued to pile on the runs before he was eventually called up to the Test team. His batting display during the 3 Tests gave enough indication as to why Sarfaraz deserves a continued spot in the Indian XI.
1- One of the best players of spin in India
It is no secret that the current crop of Indian batters tend to struggle against good spin bowlers. The likes of Nathan Lyon, Dunith Wellage, and Jeffrey Vandersay have troubled the Indian batters in recent times. Sarfaraz Khan plays the spin bowlers well as seen during the England series. The youngster used his feet well against Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed to put them off their lengths. His two slog sweeps for sixes against Ajaz Patel showed assured footwork against the slower bowlers. Sarfaraz also uses his crease well when playing against the spinners and uses his feet confidently to give the charge and hit the ball over the top.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.