Sarfaraz Khan has had a difficult week due to the fact that his younger brother Musheer, who was also expected to play, was involved in a car accident that left him unable to play cricket for sixteen weeks.
Sarfaraz Khan’s legend as a domestic doyen is growing stronger, as his authoritative double century for Mumbai not only put the rest of India under immediate pressure in the ongoing Irani Cup, but will also keep the seasoned KL Rahul on his toes when the Indian team embarks on the Test tour of Australia next month. Sarfaraz (221 batting, 276 balls) became the first player in history to hit an Irani Cup double hundred for Mumbai, as the 42-time champions reached 536 for 9 at the close of day two.
Wasim Jaffer (Vidarbha), Ravi Shastri, Praveen Amre, and Yashasvi Jaiswal (all representing Rest of India) are double century winners in the Irani Cup.
Sarfaraz has had a difficult week, since his younger brother Musheer, who was also expected to play, was sidelined for 16 weeks due to a car accident.
If his brother and father Naushad’s automobile accident had upset him, it didn’t show in his batting as he went hammer and tongs at the Rest of India bowling attack.
He played 160 dot balls but still had an 80 percent strike rate, thanks to his 25 boundaries and four sixes.Sarfaraz, who was determined to punish both pacers and spinners equally, had the better of the second day as skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who fell short of his 40th first-class century with 97 off 234 balls.
For the remaining eight games of the Test season, his 15th first-class century will undoubtedly remove any doubt about his position as a reserve middle-order hitter.
Rahul, who regained his middle-order position from Sarfaraz, performed admirably in Kanpur, but the Karnataka batter and the team management are aware that the Mumbaikar, who is of stocky build, is putting pressure on him.On the second day, there was subsurface moisture on the Ekana Stadium track. This dampness caused the ball to seam about at first, and the added bounce made it difficult for hitters to hit.
He demonstrated regal driving on the off-side, and his footwork against spinners is flawless. He was particularly cruel to left-arm spinner Manav Suthar (0/137 in 37 overs), who appeared to have no idea what to do.
He eventually used the negative leg-stump line, and Sarfaraz would slog sweep it for maximums by either bending down on one knee or slightly inside out.He scored 183 for the seventh wicket with Tanush Kotian (64), severely demoralising the Rest of India bowling squad.
He roared when he reached his double century, kissed the Lion’s emblem on his shirt, and then made his finest shot of the day. His doubters who have questioned his ability on these kinds of tracks have been suitably silenced with a hooked six off Prasidh Krishna over deep fine leg and a ramp shot earlier in the day that took advantage of the extra pace and bounce.
Yash Dayal 2/89, Prasidh Krishna 2/102, Mukesh Kumar 4/109, Sarfaraz Khan 221 at bat, Ajinkya Rahane 97, and Mumbai 1st Innings 536/9 decl) vs Rest of India.
