26-year-old Sarfaraz Khan became India's saviour in the third innings at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. After bagging a duck in first innings as India were bowled out for 46, Sarfaraz tormented New Zealand bowlers by scoring in unusual spots square of the wicket. In the first session of Day 4, he reached his maiden Test century from 110 balls. Former Australia opener David Warner lauded Sarfaraz for his rescue knock by sharing a post with his father Naushad’s shayari (poetry) -- Raat ko waqt do guzarne ke liye, sooraj apne hi samay pe niklega (Give time for the night to pass, the sun will rise on its own time).
'Well done Sarfaraz Khan. Soo much hard work. Awesome to this," Warner wrote on his Instagram story with song 'Soorma'.
Sarfaraz joined the long list of Indian batters who have registered a duck and scored a century in a Test. He also became the only Indian batter other than former opener Shikhar Dhawan to achieve this feat against New Zealand.
Sarfaraz’s massive feat
Sarfaraz was batting on 125 when the rain played spoilsport in the first session of Day 4. His unbeaten 125 is the highest score by an Indian batter in third innings of a Test at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. He broke Sunil Gavaskar's record. Gavaskar scored 103 against Pakistan in 1983. Azharuddin is the only other Indian batter on the list with 102 against South Africa in 2000. He is only behind former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd who scored 163 in 1974.
Sarfaraz makes it count
This was Sarfaraz’s 16th first-class century. He got a chance to play in the side as Shubman Gill had a stiff neck and was unfit to play in the series opener. In the previous Test series against Bangladesh, he did not get a single chance as KL Rahul returned to the squad.
On Day 3, Sarfaraz shared a 136-run partnership for the third wicket with Virat Kohli. On the morning of Day 4, Sarfaraz played unorthodox shots square of the wicket. He shared an unbeaten 113-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Rishabh Pant before rain played spoilsport.
