Sarfaraz Khan's father moved to tears after son receives maiden India Test cap

After years of waiting in the wings, the time has finally come for Sarfaraz Khan to live his boyhood dream of representing India in international cricket. Despite being one of the most consistent performers in domestic cricket, the Mumbai-born cricketer was heavily neglected by the selectors but with many star batters currently not available for selection or not in form, Sarfaraz got his opportunity in Rajkot, for the third Test against England.

Legendary cricketer Anil Kumble handed him his maiden Test cap as the weight of years of dedication finally settled. The huddle tightened, and in the heart of it, stood Sarfaraz’s father, Naushad Khan. His eyes glistened, unshed tears threatening to spill. He watched it from close quarters and immediately went to hug his son and kissed the India badge on the cap as soon as the program was over. His wife meanwhile couldn't stop the flow of tears. Perhaps she saw not just the cap but also the countless hours spent in dusty nets, the sacrifices made, and the dreams woven into each stroke of the bat.

Just like Sarfaraz, Dhruv Jurel too made his Test debut in Rajkot. Dinesh Karthik handed him the cap as the stumper-batter too seemed to get emotional. He replaced KS Bharat in the playing XI, whose batting became a massive concern for the Indian team. Notably, the 23-year-old Jurel has played 15 First Class matches so far in his career and has 790 runs at an average of 46.47. He is good behind the stumps as well and is an exciting option to have in the middle.

Sarfaraz’s journey, on the other hand, had been one of perseverance, marked by powerful cameos for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. Yet, it was in the domestic circuit, within the hallowed arena of the Ranji Trophy, that he etched his name in cricketing folklore. 3912 runs at an astonishing average of 69.85, punctuated by 14 centuries and 11 fifties, bore testament to his talent.

Other than these two debutants, the Indian management also took the bold decision of benching Axar Patel for Mohammed Siraj. The ace pacer returned to the squad after a break from the Visakhapatnam Test while Axar has been rested with the arrival of Ravindra Jadeja.

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