Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan earned his maiden India call-up after being added to the Men in Blue squad for the second Test of the ongoing five-match home series against England.
Sarfaraz, a domestic cricket stalwart, has a younger brother, Musheer Khan, who is currently representing India at the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2024 in South Africa. The two brothers have also shared the dressing room for Mumbai.
During an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Sarfaraz stated that he considers Musheer a better batter than him. Suggesting that he looks at his younger brother for inspiration at times, the 26-year-old said:
“He’s (Musheer) a better batter than me. I’m not saying this because he’s my brother. Sometimes, I may be struggling but watching his technique and trying to work out what he’s doing would give me confidence. His mannerisms, bat flow is very good. Sometimes when I’m not batting well, I look at him and learn.”
Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan performed admirably for India ‘A’ in the first two unofficial Tests against the England Lions, scoring 55 and 161 runs in his final two innings.
Musheer Khan has also received great accolades for his batting performances at the ICC Under-19 World Cup. The brilliant kid is India’s highest run scorer in the tournament, with 194 runs in three innings.
Sarfaraz Khan’s father expresses his hopes for his son’s maiden India call-up
The second Test against England saw India bolster their squad. Sarfaraz Khan was one of three added players. This decision came following injuries to Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul.
In a video posted on social media by Musheer, the batter’s father, Naushad Khan, expressed his happiness at Sarfaraz’s selection.
“You all know that Sarfaraz got his maiden Test call-up today. I want to thank everyone, especially the Mumbai Cricket Association where he grew up. Also, the National Cricket Academy, where he got experience, BCCI and the selectors for trusting in him, and all his fans who prayed for him and supported him. We all hope that he always plays well for the country and contributes to the team’s win.”
Naushad Khan
The second Test between India and England will commence on February 2 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.