Sarfaraz Khan & Rishabh Pant. (Photo Source: BCCI)
India’s young sensation Sarfaraz Khan registered his name in history books by scoring his maiden Test century on Day 4 of the opening Test between India and New Zealand at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The 26-year-old’s brilliant knock caught the attention of international cricket stars, including Australian legend David Warner.
Resuming from his overnight score of 70, he continued to bat with freedom and flair and reached his century with a well-timed boundary. His 135-run partnership with Virat Kohli for the third wicket was instrumental in India’s fightback.
Warner, the former Australian opener, took to Instagram to praise the young Indian batter. Warner shared a story with the caption, “Raat ko waqt do guzarne ke liye. Sooraj apne hi samay pe niklega.” (Give the night some time to pass, the sun will rise in its own time). Warner added, “So much hard work. Awesome to see this,” acknowledging the years of effort that led to this moment.
India reach 344/3 by Day 4 Lunch
After years of consistent run-scoring in the domestic circuit, Srfaraz finally got a chance to don the Indian whites earlier this year. His selection for the ongoing Test came after Shubhman Gill was unavailable for selection. With the hosts looking to bounce back from a dismal first-innings performance where they were bowled out for a mere 46 runs.
His century was complemented by a brilliant half-century from Rishabh Pant, who returned to form after an injury layoff. Their partnership further strengthened India’s position in the match. By lunch on Day 4, India had reached 344/3 after 71 overs, trailing by just 12 runs.