Mumbai cricketer Sarafaraz Khan finally received a maiden India call-up on Monday (January 29), rewarded for his remarkable consistency in domestic cricket in recent years. While selectors and the team management have continued to ignore Sarfaraz, they included him for the second Test match against England beginning on February 2 at the Dr YS Rajashekar Reddy ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) included Sarfaraz in the India squad for the second Test after Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul were ruled out of the second Test match. While Jadeja sustained a hamstring injury on Day 4 of the first Test in Hyderabad as he got run out, Rahul complained of a right quadriceps pain which has ruled him out. With Virat Kohli having already taken leave for the first two Test matches citing personal reasons, BCCI have added Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar to India's squad.
Following Sarfaraz's selection in the squad, his father, Naushad Khan's reaction in a video message has gone viral on social media.
"You all know that Sarfaraz got his maiden Test call-up today. I want to thank everyone, especially Mumbai Cricket Association where he grew up. Also, the National Cricket Academy (NCA) where he got experience, BCCI and the selectors for trusting in him, and all his fans who prayed for him and supported him," he says in the video.
"We all hope that he always plays well for the country and contributes to the team's win," said Naushad Khan, who has been with Sarfaraz at every step of his cricketing journey so far," he added.
Sarfaraz Khan's First Class Record
Sarafaz, the Mumbai batter, has played 45 first-class matches so far and has 3912 runs in them at an average of 69.85 with 14 centuries and 11 fifties. The 26-year-old recently received the Madhavrao Scindia award by the BCCI for being the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy 2021-22 season and has now earned an India call-up. It remains to be seen if he can make his debut in Visakhapatnam, given three of India's preferred starting 11 players, won't be available for selection.