Overview:
Sarfaraz even waited nearly 45 minutes to meet Azharuddin while he finished other commitments.
Sarfaraz Khan hasn’t played for India since November 2024, despite his exceptional form in domestic cricket. The Mumbai batter has worked hard on his fitness and backed it up with consistent performances, highlighted by scores of 157, 55 and 62 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, followed by a commanding 227 against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy.
He has received strong backing both on and off the field from Mohammad Azharuddin. The former India captain expressed satisfaction after seeing Sarfaraz’s return to big scores and has helped him work on handling reverse swing. According to The Sportstar, Sarfaraz even waited nearly 45 minutes to meet Azharuddin while he finished other commitments.
“Ultimately, he went out there and delivered. He scored the runs, and he deserves all the praise for that. I appreciate him mentioning my name, but it wasn’t necessary. As long as he keeps scoring and doing well, I’m happy and that’s the greatest reward for me,” Azharuddin told Sportstar.
“He is a positive, aggressive batter who can turn a game around in a short span. He doesn’t allow bowlers to control him. A batter’s job is to score runs, and if a quality bowler is allowed to dominate, it becomes difficult. I’m not sure about the pitch conditions, but the ball appeared to be swinging with uneven bounce,” he added.
Azharuddin lauded Sarfaraz’s hunger and resilience, reflected on the guidance he received from a former Pakistan great, and called on the Ajit Agarkar-headed selection committee to hand Sarfaraz another chance for India.
“His willingness to learn stands out. Even after representing India and scoring runs, he still wants to improve, which is a very positive sign, because no one is perfect. When I was going through a difficult phase, Zaheer Abbas guided me on what to change and how. He guided me on dealing with pace and movement, helping me read fast bowling and swing more effectively,” Azharuddin mentioned.
“He deserves another opportunity to represent India. He has scored runs across formats and conditions, and the team needs strong attacking players. When you keep performing but don’t get selected, it can be very frustrating. However, I’m confident his chance will come again,” he concluded.