New Delhi: Sarfaraz Khan shone in the fifth and final Test of the series as he brought up another fifty. After his feat, the right-hand batter celebrated his third Test fifty by blowing a flying kiss to his family, who were present at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Day 2 of the 5th Test between India and England. Sarfaraz reached his fifty in just 55 deliveries, smashing the England bowlers all around the park on Friday, much to the delight of the crowd and the change room.
Head coach Rahul Dravid and batting coach Vikram Rathour were all smiles as they applauded the young batter’s effort. Sarfaraz hit 8 boundaries and a six, and with debutant Devdutt Padikkal, added a 90-plus partnership for the 4th wicket. It was a commendable effort from the young man, as India were in trouble after losing well-set Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in quick succession after the Lunch break on Day 2.
Sarfaraz Khan has hit 3 fifties in as many Tests, making a remarkable start to his Test career. The 26-year-old was under pressure after his twin failures in the 4th Test in Ranchi. Sarfaraz managed just 14 runs in the Ranchi Test and got out for a first-ball duck in a tense chase in the final innings last month. However, Sarfaraz seemed to have put behind the disappointment of Ranchi and converted a start into another landmark in the 5th Test in Dharamsala.
Sarfaraz Khan raised his bat and pointed it towards the change room before blowing a flying kiss to his family and friends, who were spotted by the TV cameras at the HPCA Stadium, in an emotional celebration after the fifty.
Sarfaraz Khan had become only the third man after Dilawar Hussain and Sunil Gavaskar to hit twin fifties on his Test debut for India in the 3rd Test in Rajkot. During an emotional cap presentation ceremony in Rajkot, he was accompanied by his father and his wife, after which he let his bat do the talking.
On Friday, the confidence with which Sarfaraz approached his knock would have given the dressing room a lot of joy. The 26-year-old smashed the England spinners and wasn’t afraid to take on the express pace of Mark Wood. In a sensational piece of inventive batting, Sarfaraz played an upper-cut over the slip cordon, hitting a 146 kph delivery from Wood into the stands.
Sarfaraz was unbeaten on 56 at Tea on Day 2 while Devdutt was unbeaten on 44 off 77 balls as the two batters steered India to 376 for 3 at the end of the second session.