Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has congratulated Sarfaraz Khan on his maiden India call-up for the second test of the ongoing five-match Test series against India. Sarfaraz Khan had been waiting for a national team call-up for nearly two years, and the wait finally ended on Monday as he was slated to replace KL Rahul in the Indian team.
KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were ruled out of the second Test due to injuries they sustained during the first test in Hyderabad. Therefore, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee named Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar, and Washington Sundar as replacements.
It is likely that one of Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, or Rajat Patidar will make his debut, while Washington Sundar or Kuldeep Yadav will replace Ravindra Jadeja. Sourabh Kumar, a spin-bowling all-rounder, is also eligible to make his debut.
Social media users praised and congratulated Sarfaraz Khan for his hard work and perseverance over the years after his India call-up. Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq also congratulated the Mumbai batter on his long-awaited national team call-up. Sarfaraz Khan is a domestic cricket prodigy who has long aspired to play for the national side and has gathered plenty of runs in domestic cricket over the last few years.
Congratulations brother So Happy for you ❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/TDmKXMZYjj
— Imam Ul Haq (@ImamUlHaq12) January 29, 2024
“Congratulations, brother. “So happy for you,” Sarfaraz Khan wrote on his X handle.
With nearly unattainable numbers in domestic red-ball cricket, Sarfaraz continued to show that he was already head and shoulders above others at the Ranji level.
Sarfaraz Khan has proven his worth in domestic cricket and had a dominant run for Mumbai in red-ball cricket. He seemed in excellent form for India ‘A’ in the first two unofficial Tests against the England Lions, scoring 55 and 161 in his final two innings.
He won the Man of the Match award against the England Lions in an unofficial Test match held in Ahmedabad. Khan batted at number four and made 161 runs off just 160 balls, including 18 fours and five sixes. The youngster has scored 3,912 runs in 45 first-class matches, with an excellent average of 69.85.
The Indian team’s management will now try to establish Sarfaraz as a test specialist. He has done an excellent job in red-ball cricket. If he earns his debut cap in Vizag, he has the potential to be a long-term solution to India’s middle-order problems.