NEW DELHI:
Sarfaraz Khan
's remarkable debut performance against
England
's spinners was not a mere coincidence but the result of over 15 years of dedicated effort. His father,
Naushad Khan
, played a pivotal role in his journey, overseeing Sarfaraz's rigorous practice routine, which involved facing 500 deliveries daily.
In his debut Test in Rajkot, Sarfaraz's impressive display, marked by two confident half-centuries, underlines his arrival as a formidable presence in the Indian team.
The 26-year-old earned his Test cap after years of persistent hard work in the domestic circuit and refining his skills at his father's 'Macho Cricket Club.'
The meticulous planning and unwavering commitment to improvement, especially during the challenges posed by the two COVID-19 lockdowns, bore fruit as Sarfaraz demonstrated his prowess against the likes of
Tom Hartley
, Joe Root, and Rehan Ahmed in Rajkot. His success stands as a testament to the dedication and perseverance that have defined his cricketing journey.
"...during (COVID) lockdown, he undertook a car journey covering 1600km. From Mumbai to Amroha, Moradabad, Meerut, Kanpur, Mathura and Dehradun, he travelled and played on proverbial 'akhadas' where the ball turns square with one shooting up and few staying down," he added.
Sarfaraz's adept handling of spinners, showcasing ease and finesse, is a testament to the challenging path he undertook to refine his skills. While Naushad, his zealous father, played a crucial role in his development, the credit for Sarfaraz's polished cricketing prowess extends beyond just his father's guidance.
Coaches of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sanjay Rastogi),
Mohammed Shami
(Badruddin Sheikh),
Kuldeep Yadav
(Kapil Deo Pandey), Gautam Gambhir (Sanjay Bhardwaj) and father of India A captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (RP Easwaran) have also contributed in their little way to make Sarfaraz a finished product.
They all arranged for Sarfaraz's net sessions against spinners, especially during the COVID lockdown.
"During lockdown, Naushad called me as we are both from Azamgarh and we played club cricket in Mumbai when I was employed with the Indian Navy. So, when he wanted his son to get practice, I felt it's my duty," Kapil Pandey told PTI.
"During lockdown, Sarfaraz played Kuldeep a lot at our Kanpur Academy. They did a lot of net sessions together. I would arrange T20 matches as that season, Mushtaq Ali T20 was the main tournament.
"Having grown up playing on Mumbai's red soil, Sarfaraz has the perfect game against spin and uses his feet well," he added.
Shami's coach Badruddin also spoke about his part in helping Sarfaraz attain mastery of spin.
"Yes, I arranged for his training and nets in Moradabad. No doubt both the father and son worked hard. I arranged for his stay in a hostel and got him to play a number of games."
Another coach who has seen Naushad train his sons -- Sarfaraz and India U-19 star Musheer -- spoke about the gruelling training regimen that the two players endured even on non-match days.
"From a young age, he has been playing hundreds of balls. So when Mumbai didn't have a match, Naushad prepared an astro turf wicket at home where Sarfaraz practiced against pacers. But the moment he has to play spin, they go to the Maidans and do open field training," he said.
"Even for red-ball training, Naushad would give Sarfaraz simulation training. Suppose Mumbai play Tamil Nadu in Chennai, the bowlers would be asked to create roughs with spikes and then he would be asked to play on a track that resembles a day four pitch with wide cracks," he explained.
The collaborative efforts of both Sarfaraz and his dedicated support system yielded the desired results, evident in the commanding manner in which he confronted the visiting spinners during the
Rajkot Test
.
The culmination of years of hard work and guidance came to fruition as Sarfaraz exhibited confidence and skill against the challenging bowling attack.
(With PTI inputs)
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