A journey of a father and son to make dreams into reality

Sarfaraz Khan is slowly growing as an important cricketer after his remarkable batting performances in his early international career. Surely, we are set to see his international cricket journey, which has a huge patience story with an unshakable dedication.  

Father Naushad Khan had a dream to represent the Indian national cricket team. While his cricket career didn’t see wider success, his sons are fulfilling his dream and setting an inspirational story.

Father fought hard

After completing his cricket career in Mumbai, Naushad Khan started as a coach. Under his coaching, a lot of cricketers have shined at youth ages, including Iqbal Abdulla and Kamran Khan. 

Naushad started his sons' cricket coaching at an early age. Just like the other students of his coaching center, Naushad also set up morning training and a particular diet plan for his sons. 

Naushad learned Sarfaraz Khan’s cricketing talent at an early age, as his eldest son had a great talent for timing the ball well. As his sons got a perfect cricket atmosphere, their ambition for the sport grew from childhood. Due to his cricket commitments, Sarfaraz even didn’t attend school for four years. During that time, a private tutor taught him the math and English. 

Tumhaare mein talent hai toh apne bachchon ko khilaake dikhao na

While Naushad worked hard with his children and the other talented young boys, he was hurt in a few incidents. In 2016, he revealed one incident. While his coaching helped Iqbal Abdulla to shine at a young age, Abdulla later said, according to Naushad’s interview with Indian Express, “That is when he spoke those unforgettable words, Mere mein kabiliyat thi, main khela. Tumhaare mein talent hai toh apne bachchon ko khilaake dikhao na. (I had the ability, so I played. If you have the talent, then make your son play and show the world.”  

Harris Shield record

Sarfaraz came to the limelight in Indian cricket at a very early age. At the age of 12 years, Sarfaraz broke Sachin Tendulkar’s Harris Shield record by scoring 439 runs off 421 balls for Rizvi Springfield. It was his first Harris Shield match where the right-handed batter hit 56 fours and 12 sixes. 

Impressive in U19 cricket

Soon Sarfaraz started to play for Mumbai U19 as well as India U19. In 2013, during a quadrangular series in India, India U19 batter Sarfaraz scored a match-winning 66-ball 101 runs against South Africa in a chase.  

Sarfaraz played two ICC U19 Cricket World Cups as he served for India U19 in 2014 and 2016. While he scored 211 runs in six innings (average 70.33) with two half-centuries in 2014, he was the second-leading run-scorer in 2016 after scoring 355 runs in six innings (average 71.00) with five half-centuries. In the 2016 edition, the India U19 team finished as the runners-up. 

ICC U19 World Cup records

Sarfaraz was the second player to record five 50+ scores in a single edition of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup (after Australian Brett Williams in 1988). At present, he is among four batters to achieve this record. Meanwhile, he still holds the record for most 50+ scores in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup history with seven half-centuries.  

One of the youngest IPL debutants

Sarfaraz’s youth cricket performances were enough to tell the cricket world that he would carry a long run in the cricket world. Before his second U19 World Cup, he already made his domestic cricket debut as well as his IPL debut. Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him for INR 50 lakhs for the IPL 2015, where he made his IPL debut. 

According to present ESPNcricinfo Statsguru information, at the age of 17 years and 182 days, Sarfaraz made his IPL debut against Chennai Super Kings and became the second youngest to make an IPL debut. In his second IPL innings, he scored 45 not out off 21 balls with six fours and one six. 

Sarfaraz Khan stunned in retention

Sarfaraz was the only uncapped player to be retained by a franchise for the IPL 2016. During the IPL 2016, although he played some useful cameos for RCB, he was dropped from the team due to his fitness problem. Although he scored only 66 runs in five matches, his batting strike rate was 212.90. 

For the IPL 2018, Sarfaraz was retained by the RCB, while Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, and Yuzvendra Chahal were ignored. However, due to his poor form, he was released before the IPL 2019 auction. 

From 2019 to 2021, Sarfaraz served for Punjab Kings. Between 2022 and 2023, Sarfaraz served for Delhi Capitals, where he kept wicket for one match in 2023. 

In his IPL career, Sarfaraz has played 50 matches to score 585 runs with an average of 22.50, including one half-century. The right-hander has a 130.58 batting strike rate in his IPL career. 

Impressive first-class career

While Sarfaraz started his domestic cricket career for Mumbai after making his debut in three domestic formats in 2014, he served for Uttar Pradesh in the 2015/16 season. After one season, he returned to serve for Mumbai.

In his 51 first-class matches, the right-handed batter has scored 4422 runs with an incredible average of 69.09. He has recorded 15 centuries and 14 half-centuries. His highest score in first-class cricket is 301 not out against Uttar Pradesh in the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy. 

Although he was a wicketkeeper at a young age, he restarted the keeping in senior cricket in 2022. 

Sarfaraz has also played 37 List A games and 96 T20s, where he has scored 629 runs (average 34.94) with two centuries and 1188 runs (average 22.41) with three half-centuries, respectively. 

Despite performing consistently in domestic first-class cricket, Sarfaraz was initially not included in the Indian squad. He scored 900+ runs in successive first-class seasons. However, he was ignored for the national team selection due to his fitness and on-field and off-field disciplinary issues. 

Turning point

Last January, during the England Lions tour of India, Sarfaraz scored 96 runs for India A in a tour game and then scored 4 and 55 runs in the first first-class match and 161 runs in the second fixture. These performances ultimately helped him to earn the national team call-up as the replacement for the injured players. 

Finally, the dream Test debut

During the Rajkot Test against England last February, Sarfaraz ultimately made his international debut. He scored 62 and 68 not out on his Test debut, as he became the fourth Indian to score two 50+ scores on the Test debut. Among the Test debutant players with twin 50+ scores, Sarfaraz recorded the highest strike rate with 94.20. In that home Test series, Sarfaraz scored 200 runs in five innings with an average of 50.00, including three half-centuries.  

In the ongoing domestic cricket season, while Sarfaraz was disappointed in the Duleep Trophy, he scored an unbeaten double-century (222*) against the Rest of India, which ultimately ended in a winning cause (Mumbai won on 1st innings lead). 

So, there is no surprise with his incredible 150-run knock in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, while the Indian team was under pressure. 

Musheer Khan: Brother of Sarfaraz Khan

While Sarfaraz Khan has already started to shine, his brother Musheer Khan is also growing fast. The 19-year-old has scored 716 runs in nine first-class matches with an average of 51.14. The right-handed batter has already scored three centuries and one half-century. His first first-class hundred was a double century (203*) against Baroda during the quarter-final of the Ranji Trophy 2023/24. 

In the recent Duleep Trophy 2024/25, Musheer started the tournament with a knock of 181 runs. 

As a left-arm spinner, Musheer has also picked up eight wickets in his first-class career.