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Sarfaraz Khan's performance in India's first Test match against New Zealand in Bengaluru, according to former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, shows why the young batsman can be important for India's upcoming tour of Australia. With his first Test century, Sarfaraz changed the game, eventually reaching 150 on Day 4.
Sanjay Manjrekar on Sarfaraz Khan
Manjrekar said that Sarfaraz's magnificent 150-run innings showed off his exceptional batting abilities on a challenging pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where rain repeatedly stopped play. The conditions in Australia might be very similar, Manjrekar continued, and Sarfaraz's versatility and skill make him an important member of the Indian team, particularly when facing a strong pace attack that includes players like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
"Very happy to see the way he plays fast bowlers, and he has played fast bowlers before as well against England. This was a pitch very similar to the foreign pitches that we get, where there is a bit of pace and bounce. Interestingly, I am imagining him on a flatter pitch in Australia, where there isn't a lot of seam movement," Manjrekar said in an interaction with ESPN Cricinfo
"He is going to give migraines to those Australian bowlers because of the shots that he plays. There is certainity, there is calmness and if you see the close up of Sarfaraz, he watches the ball always on to his bat. He has a tremendous hand-eye coordination. His technique isn't bad for Australia. I will be very excited to see how he goes, and he is a definite candidate, and he should walk into the India playing XI against Australia," Majrekar added.
After falling to the highly effective Virat Kohli for 70 on the final ball of Day 3, India had cause for concern. On Day 4, Sarfaraz and Rishabh Pant steadied the innings with the match still close. India put the squad in a commanding position with a robust second-inning total of 462 runs because to the key combination between the two players. Pant just missed out on his own century, falling short at 99, while Sarfaraz scored his first-ever Test century, finishing at 150.
Their partnership established the groundwork for India, who set a target for New Zealand to meet—107 runs to win the Test. But following tea, India had a late collapse, losing four wickets in quick succession: Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Despite this misstep, India's innings ended after 99.3 overs, setting up a difficult assignment for New Zealand on the last day of play. Manjrekar said Sarfaraz's performance showed that he could do well in more difficult environments overseas.
