India's ace left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has expressed his admiration for Sarfaraz Khan's batting prowess. He is hopeful that Sarfaraz can replicate his impressive double century from the Irani Cup in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand. Kuldeep believes that Sarfaraz's aggressive batting style keeps bowlers on their toes and puts pressure on the opposition.
India's batting resurgence in the second innings of the Bengaluru Test was led by Sarfaraz (70 not out), Virat Kohli (70), and Rohit Sharma (52), who took India to 231/3 on Day 3. The trio combined to guide India to a strong position on Day 3, leaving them with a significant task on Day 4. With Kohli and Rohit dismissed, all eyes will be on Sarfaraz to continue his stellar form and propel India to a competitive total.
Kuldeep pins all hopes on Sarfaraz Khan
Kuldeep acknowledged that India's hopes for a strong comeback hinge on Sarfaraz's ability to convert his fifty into a substantial score. As the match enters its crucial stages, India will be relying on Sarfaraz to deliver a match-winning performance.
“We enjoy his [Sarfaraz] batting a lot. You saw how he scored a 200 in the Irani Cup. I hope he scores a double hundred here too... He doesn’t allow the spinners to settle down. He counter-attacked the left-arm spinner [Ajaz Patel], and they had to bring in a fast bowler from one end," as quoted by PTI.
Sarfaraz Khan's recent form has been exceptional, as he smashed an unbeaten double century in the Irani Cup earlier this month. This impressive performance led Mumbai to victory over the Rest of India.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav expressed optimism about India's chances in the Bengaluru Test. He believes that if India can set a challenging target, the pitch's spin-friendly nature could give them a significant advantage
"The spinners were getting some help when we were bowling, and hopefully, we will get more spin on Day 5. But for that, we need a good total to defend. Considering our bowling attack, we will be aiming at setting an effective target. We can't predict a proper total right now as a lot of batting is still left for us," Kuldeep further said.
India's momentum in the Bengaluru Test was halted abruptly just before the end of play on Day 3. Virat Kohli, who had formed a crucial partnership with Sarfaraz Khan, was dismissed by Glenn Phillips on the final delivery of the day. The duo had added 136 runs for the third wicket, and Kohli's departure was a significant blow to India's hopes of taking a substantial lead.
