‘Dad told me I play like him’: Sarfaraz Khan’s batting resembles to Pakistan’s Javed Miandad

India vs England Tests: After years of waiting, Sarfaraz Khan is now part of the Indian Test team and make his debut on Friday as India ready to play with England in the second Test at Vishakhapatnam.

As Virat Kohli and KL Rahul were ruled out of the team for different reasons, Sarfaraz has not only got a chance for his debut but also be expected to be good on his debut.

Before the 2nd Test, in a conversation with official broadcaster JioCinema, Sarfaraz spoke about his father’s contribution to his career, his preparation and his cricketing idols.

IND vs ENG: AB De Villiers Excited To See Sarfaraz Khan Playing For India In Second Test Match

The 26-year-old batter recalled the contribution of his father in getting him prepared for the big stage. He said that his father inspired him to work hard and that led to his maiden India call-up.

“My father introduced me to cricket, and I always wondered why am I even playing. By nature, I am an attacking batsman and I used to get out sooner than others and scoring big runs was getting difficult. It was disheartening to see others succeed while I wouldn’t be among the runs. Even when I moved from Mumbai to UP, he would take flights to come and see me,” Sarfaraz said.

“He would start bowling to me on the terrace or the road itself before selection trials. Now I realise the impact and importance of those efforts. When I came back to Mumbai from UP, I was scared that this would bring a halt to my career and I strongly felt there was no future ahead of me, but my dad always stood by me. There’s no guarantee in life if you don’t get opportunities. But my dad always believed in hard work, and everything I have is a result of that work.”

Known for his stellar performance in domestic cricket where he already has 14 First Class centuries including the best score of 301 not out, Sarfaraz spoke about his routine. His Ranji Trophy and domestic cricket experience, where he scored 3912in 45 matches at an average of 69.85 should hold him in good stead.

Musheer Khan Discloses Chat With His Brother Sarfaraz After Latter’s Maiden Test Call Up

“My strength is that I am not satisfied easily. I play 500-600 balls every day. If I don’t play at least 200-300 balls in a match, I feel like I haven’t done much. It’s a habit now. Practice in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I am used to only one thing, batting and facing deliveries. If you want to play five-day cricket, you have to stay patient and practice every day. I play cricket all day and that’s why I can stay on the pitch for a long time,” he explained.

While speaking about his idols, the Mumbai middle-order batter said that he always follows the in-form batters to take valuable lessons about batting.

Virat Kohli’s replacement Patidar has to be replaced. Sarfaraz vs Patidar, who replaces Jadeja? India’s selection conundrums

“I like to watch Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Sir Vivian Richards, and even Javed Miandad because my dad has told me that I play like him. I watch Joe Root’s batting also. For anyone who is succeeding, I am watching them to see how they are doing it so I can learn and apply it when I am in the middle. I want to continue doing this, whether it’s in the Ranji Trophy or playing for India in the future,” he concluded.