Sarfaraz Khan Realizes Father’s Dream by Representing India

In the third Test against England, Sarfaraz Khan put on a remarkable batting display on Day 1. He later shared his joy of receiving the India Test cap in the presence of his family.

“It was a wonderful moment. I received the India cap on my first visit to the ground, and my father was present. He introduced me to cricket when I was just 6 years old. It was my dream to have him witness me playing for the Indian team while he is still alive. This was a dream I had for him, and I cherished it immensely,” Sarfaraz shared during the post-match press conference.

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“Initially, my father wasn’t planning to attend the match. However, some people convinced him to come, as it was a moment of pride. He had to come, given the hard work he had put in for this day. He was quite emotional, as was my wife. It felt like a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. I didn’t let his years of hard work on me go in vain.”

A journey that is all heart
Hear from a proud father on a very memorable day for Sarfaraz Khan – By @ameyatilak#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Imk7OTuSVM

Sarfaraz and his father’s dedication paid off when he scored a stylish 62 off 66 balls, batting at number six. He seemed set for a big score, but a misunderstanding with Ravindra Jadeja led to his run-out by Mark Wood.

“There was a slight miscommunication. Such things are part of the game. Sometimes there’s a run-out, sometimes there’s a run, and sometimes there isn’t. It’s all part of the game.”

“Jadeja mentioned that there was a slight miscommunication. I told him it’s okay. These things happen. It’s not a big deal.”

Centuries from Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have helped India to a strong position at the end of Day 1 #WTC25 | #INDvENG : https://t.co/5xPtQVQSTG pic.twitter.com/hAoIruhUlW

As India chose to bat first, Sarfaraz was ready from the first ball, as the hosts lost three wickets within the first hour. However, he had to wait as Rohit Sharma and Jadeja built a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 204 runs.

“I had been padded up for almost 4 hours. I thought to myself, I’ve been patient all my life, I can wait a bit more. When I finally went in, I was a bit nervous as it was my first time, but my practice and hard work paid off, and everything went well.”

“I felt a bit odd in the first couple of overs. It was my first time, and I had dreamt of this moment for so long. But once I got into the zone, it didn’t seem so difficult,” he added.

India ended the opening day at 326/5, with Jadeja (110**)* and Kuldeep Yadav (1*) at the crease.