Domestic grind pays off as hungry Sarfaraz Khan takes down New Zealand in Bengaluru

New Delhi: Is he one of those? The ones who have piled on a plethora of runs in domestic cricket but never quite managed to make it big at the international level. Many would have thought Sarfaraz Khan belonged to the same bracket of players – the domestic giants who were never meant for the beast that is international cricket which is a different ball game altogether and rightfully so.

But Sarfaraz has time and again proven he is meant for the bigger stages with his hunger for runs and his remarkable consistency. A batting prodigy from Mumbai, a city that has given the country some of its best batting talents, Sarfaraz has never had it easy. From being mocked for his weight to being discarded from his state team due to disciplinary reasons, he has seen it.

But the 26-year-old overcame it all to be standing where he is today. Years of toiling it hard in domestic cricket and piling on runs one season after another finally paid for Sarfaraz on Saturday as he jumped in elation after completing his maiden hundred for India in Test cricket during the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand.

It was a coming-of-age moment for Sarfaraz, who had seen a certain Virat Kohli send him off with folded hands after being left impressed by his batting heroics in an IPL 2015 match against Rajasthan Royals in Bengaluru. An 18-year-old Sarfaraz would have little idea back then that it would take him another 9 years to bat alongside Kohli at the same ground.

But as the special occasion arrived nine years later in the series opener against the Kiwis, Sarfaraz made sure to give his all in ensuring Kohli was left in awe, once again. Kohli stood smiling and in appreciation after a determined Sarfaraz played one of the best knocks of his career to rescue India from a precautious position in the Bengaluru Test and help them stage a fightback against the visitors.

Kya khele ho, 𝐒𝐢𝐫-𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐳! 🫡

A roaring 1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ when #TeamIndia needed it most 🙌🏻#IDFCFirstBankTestTrophy #INDvNZ #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/fjsgOnPplI

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) October 19, 2024

Sarfaraz Khan takes down New Zealand in Bengaluru

After an epic collapse saw India hit a new low by getting bundled out on 46 runs in their first innings, little did anyone expect such a valiant comeback from the hosts. But as they have been doing in a lot of their recent Test matches, India managed to once again shut their critics in style by plotting a fantastic comeback in their second innings.

Trailing behind by 356 runs, Sarfaraz led India’s charge with a magnificent knock of 150 runs off 195 balls. The Mumbai batter combined with Virat Kohli to share a 136-run stand for the third wicket on Day 3 and continued from where he had left on Day 4 with Rishabh Pant. Sarfaraz and Pant joined hands to share an impressive 177-run partnership for the 4th wicket.

Sarfaraz completed his maiden Test hundred for India off just 110 balls and finished with 150 off 195 deliveries studded with 18 fours and 3 sixes. He was well supported by Pant, who played a fabulous knock of 99 runs and ended up missing out on a well-deserved seventh Test century by a whisker. Thanks to the partnership between the duo, India managed to post 462 runs on the board in their second innings, setting up a 107-run target for New Zeland in their second innings on a tricky Day 4.

Hunger for daddy hundreds

Sarfaraz’s grind in the domestic circuit yielded results on the big stage as the 26-year-old went on to convert his first-ever Test hundred for India into a 150 despite batting in hostile conditions and under tremendous pressure. However, the domestic run machine, now a proven international material, is no stranger to daddy hundreds.

In fact, Sarfaraz has a knack for smashing big centuries. He has managed to breach the 150-run mark in 11 out of his 15 centuries in first-class cricket. And now his first international hundred is also a 150-run knock, showcasing his insatiable hunger for runs and ability to score big on a given day.

Sarfaraz, who would have probably been on the bench in the Bengaluru Test had it not been for an injury to Shubman Gill, would hope he gets a longer run for India now that he has showcased his class against New Zealand to keep India in the hunt in a Test match that not many expected would last as long as it already has.

Sarfaraz Khan’s domestic grind finally paid off as he scored a daddy hundred for India in the 1st Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. After years of toil and consistent performances, Sarfaraz finally notched up his maiden ton for India in the longest format. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today