Sarfaraz Khan's Test debut became a major eye-puller during the India vs England third Test in Rajkot. From emotions flowing to big hits galore, the 26-year-old had time to remember on the field at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. He became just the fourth Indian and 43rd overall to score fifty-plus scores in both innings of Test debut but his blistering knocks helped him set a world record.
Sarfaraz scored 62 from 66 balls in the first innings before falling run-out in a mixup with Ravindra Jadeja. He went on to hit another blistering fifty when he made 68 from 72 deliveries. Sarfaraz had a combined strike rate of 94.20, which is by far the highest among all the 43 cricketers to score two fifty-plus scores on Test debut.
He is just the fourth Indian with knocks of over fifty in both innings after Dilawar Hussain, Sunil Gavaskar and Shreyas Iyer. During both of his innings, the 26-year-old scored a total of four sixes and 15 fours.
After his first innings, Sarfaraz came to the post-match press conference and addressed the media. The Mumbai batter said he is feeling that a burden has come off his back. "Coming to the ground for the first time and getting the cap in front of my father. I was six years old when he started my cricket (training). It was my dream to play for the Indian team in front of him," Sarfaraz told the media after the end of the first day in Rajkot.
He also said that he has fulfilled his father's dream who also wanted to play for India. "It was my father's dream to play for India but unfortunately it couldn't happen due to some reasons, there wasn't much support from home then. He worked very hard on me and is now doing the same with my brother. It was the proudest moment of my life," he said.
