NEW DELHI: The story of Sarfaraz Khan‘s struggles and hard work has moved one and all. India rewarded 26-year-old Sarfaraz for his prolific form in domestic cricket with a debut in the third Test against England at Rajkot on Thursday.
Sarfaraz got his Test cap from former captain Anil Kumble with his teary-eyed father, Naushad Khan, and wife looking on.
And Sarfaraz made his Test debut a memorable one by hitting a quickfire 62-run knock off 66 balls before getting run out.
Sarfaraz had been knocking on the selectors doors for more than three years while scoring in the Ranji Trophy and has a first-class average of over 69 in 45 matches and a best of 301 not out.
Sarfaraz burst into the limelight with a record 439 in school cricket in 2009 but his career later hit roadblocks and controversies.
Naushad Khan always advised Sarfaraz to work hard, have self-belief and be patient, even when he was being repeatedly ignored by the selectors.
Sarfaraz scored tons of runs in domestic cricket year after year before getting his maiden call-up ahead of the second Test in Vizag and finally making his debut in Rajkot.
Moved by the hard work put in by the father-son duo, Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, shared a video put up by the BCCI that has Naushad Khan saying, that Sarfaraz’s case proves that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
“Earlier when I used to put in a lot of hard work (on Sarfaraz), I used to think that why my dream doesn’t become a reality. But after getting the Test cap my thoughts have changed for all kids who are working.
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Raat ko waqt do guzarne ke liye, suraj apne hi samay pe niklega (Give time for the night to end, sun will rise at its own time),” Naushad said.
Anand Mahindra, who is known to gift promising sportspersons who have risen to the top from scratch on the back of their sheer hard work and perseverance, SUVs of his company, expressed a desire to gift Sarfaraz Khan’s father Naushad Khan a Thar SUV.
Sharing the BCCI’s video, Anand Mahindra posted, “Himmat nahin chodna, bas! Hard work. Courage. Patience. What better qualities than those for a father to inspire in a child? For being an inspirational parent, it would be my privilege & honour if Naushad Khan would accept the gift of a Thar.”