Credit: X
On Thursday, February 15, Sarfaraz Khan began his Test career on a great note in Indian colours, scoring an enterprising fifty against England during the third Test of the five-match series in Rajkot. At the end of the day’s play, the 26-year-old got a surprise phone call from his younger brother Musheer Khan, who congratulated him on his splendid batting display.
At the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Sarfaraz Khan walked out to bat for the first time in senior cricket in the presence of his father and mother, with the Indian cricket team healthily placed at 237/4 in the 64th over after a brilliant fourth wicket partnership of 204 runs between the captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. The Mumbai-born cricketer took control of the game from the very beginning of his innings, like an elder statesman, rotating the strike exquisitely, and coupling it with quality boundaries all around the ground to complete his maiden fifty.
The official X account of the BCCI shared the video of the surprise phone call from Musheer Khan to Sarfaraz Khan. For starters, Musheer Khan congratulated his elder brother on a memorable start on Test debut for India, saying, “Well played,” and in response, Sarfaraz Khan was quick to thank him.
In a heartfelt exchange, Sarfaraz Khan told Musheer Khan about how he will also be able to represent India at the highest level someday by God’s grace. Sarfaraz revealed how he watches the batting of Musheer, the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup finalist, especially when he struggles because both the brothers have the same style of batsmanship.
Musheer Khan also spoke about how he was scared when Sarfaraz Khan top-edged the ball from Joe Root while trying to execute a lofted sweep shot behind square on the leg side. Notably, the right-handed batter managed to survive after the ball evaded the fielder in the nearby vicinity, taking his innings into high gear shortly afterward.
Ultimately, Sarfaraz Khan was run out for 62 off 66 late on Day 1 after hitting nine fours and one six in his innings. It was Ravindra Jadeja, who had made an error in judging the single correctly in his bid to complete a Test hundred, which led to Sarfaraz Khan getting stranded at the non-striker’s end after Mark Wood got a direct hit from the square mid-on region.
Watch the video of Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan talking here:
