Sarfaraz Khan’s photographs would possibly look awkward generally, or one can argue that he scores extra sq. of the wicket, as he did on this Bengaluru Check, however for me and him, what issues is getting runs. Be it anyhow, anyplace. Run toh run hota hai. And Sarfaraz is aware of the best way to get them.
I’ve identified him for greater than 15 years now; he made his Mumbai Ranji debut underneath my captaincy. He has revived his sport, particularly up to now three years; he has scored in every single place. It’s his grit and willpower that has taken him right here.
At this time the Ranji sport began at 9:30 am and solely our supervisor has telephone entry. Simply 15-20 minutes in, the supervisor instructed us that he was batting on 93. I assumed he was joking; so we took the telephone to examine. In 20 minutes, he had gone from 70 to 93 runs! All of us noticed his hundred within the dressing room. It was a unique feeling for me as a result of there’s a reference to him and his household.
I’ve seen his father struggle, pushing onerous each day. Musheer (Sarfaraz’s youthful brother) had come in the present day, I requested him, what was Tiger’s (Naushad, Sarfaraz’s father) response? He replied, ‘he was crying’.
I’ve seen Sarfaraz maidaan ke dhool-matti khaate (toil onerous within the mud and dirt of maidens). I by no means doubted his ability. Now we have a love and love wala relationship.Our bond is that we each inform one another the reality. We criticise one another however it’s a constructive criticism which is nice for his sport and life.
I at all times believed that he had that dum (spirit). I at all times really feel joh mehnat ka star hote hai na, the one which you get after all of the hardwork, that star he obtained in the present day.
It was his first hundred and got here in such a vital scenario. He confirmed that character that I’ve seen many instances up to now. Like when he went to play the Irani Cup. He had reached Lucknow and instructed me that ‘I’ve to by some means make Mumbai win’. We had mentioned the historical past of Irani and the way we now have not received for a very long time.
When he was not getting picked regardless of scoring tons of runs every season, I by no means gave any sympathy; I attempted to offer an answer. How higher we are able to do it from right here? Sympathy dene ke liye duniya hai however who’s there to offer an answer?
Bengaluru: India’s Sarfaraz Khan performs a shot on the third day of the primary check cricket match between India and New Zealand, on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (PTI Photograph/Shailendra Bhojak)
I instructed him that there are solely two potentialities, “Atmasamarpan” (give up) or “Aakraman (assault), there may be nothing in between. Raston mein ek aane ka hota hai aur ke jaane ka (there are two paths: entry and exit). There may be one alternative: to face on a divider and see the world or do one thing.
He selected the best way of Aakraman. And when the chance got here, khade hone ke jagah chahye thi, sone ke usne bana li. (He wanted area to face and he stretched it to sleep in).
I’ve by no means seen him skipping follow even on match day. If there’s a sport, he’ll stand up at 5 am, bat for one hour close to his dwelling after which be part of the crew bus. After the sport he’ll go to the close by floor and bat once more. There have been days once we 4 or 5 gamers have slept in the identical room as a result of we shall be discussing cricket all through the night time.
Sarfaraz won’t have that outdated Mumbai batsmanship type however he has backed his ability. Cricket has advanced, so one must be one step forward. Earlier, it was about survival and now it’s about scoring runs. Sarfaraz’s sport by no means modified, I used to be seeing his highlights final night time and it felt as if he was enjoying a Mumbai native event. He has fine-tuned his sport however didn’t change it, which is essential. Typically as soon as a participant reaches at one stage of their life, they really feel, ke bhai ab kuch change karna padega. It’s the place errors occur. The perfect factor about Sarfaraz is that he didn’t drastically change his sport.
A sportsperson’s profession could be very small however in that small profession, how a lot impression one could make is vital. Ab deemag se sochna band karna hai, dil se sochna hai. (Obtained to cease considering from head and do it from coronary heart). God will give it, in the present day or tomorrow. Sarfaraz is an ideal instance; nothing occurred within the final three years and when god determined to offer, he gave rather a lot.
~As instructed to Devendra Pandey