‘Next time, if I get opportunity, I will definitely get hundred’- Saba Karim reveals interaction with Sarfaraz Khan after England series

Saba Karim, a former batsman and wicketkeeper for India, talked about his encounter with Sarfaraz Khan during the Dharamsala Test match against England earlier this year.

India defeated the foreigners by an innings and 64 runs in that fifth Test. Sarfaraz achieved his third Test half-century in the match at Dharamsala after making his debut in the third Test of the series in Rajkot. The cricket player-turned-expert disclosed that Sarfaraz promised him a century the next time he was given the chance to play for the national team after he was removed for 56 runs off 60 balls.

On Saturday, October 19, during Day 4 of the first Test match between India and New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz fulfilled his promise by scoring his first Test century.

Following the Test match against England in Dharamsala, I had a meeting with Sarfaraz Khan. He informed me, “Next time, if I get an opportunity, I will definitely get a hundred,” as he left after reaching his fifty. Today, Sarfaraz has benefited from the self-belief he has demonstrated over the last few years. The younger generation has a strong belief that they can win games, score runs, and play well. Saba told Jio Cinema, “I think we saw that today in Sarfaraz Khan’s innings. That confidence helps them get into the groove quickly.”

Saba also praised Sarfaraz’s father, Naushad Khan, and his family for his hard work, devotion, and passion.

Bravo to him and his family, who have put a lot of effort into improving his batting. Today was a clear indication of how much work they have put into enhancing his game. For Sarfaraz, everything fell into place,” he continued.

India takes the lead as New Zealand bowlers are dominated by Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant.

Since reaching his century off just 109 balls, Sarfaraz has continued to improve. But Rishabh Pant has been the more adventurous batsman, and the two have surpassed New Zealand’s first-innings lead of 356 runs with a partnership that has reached three figures.

With a significant amount of time remaining in the Test match, India will want to make New Zealand as big of a target as they can on the ground, which is still excellent for batting.

Also Read: ‘Sarfaraz Khan is 2024 version of Javed Miandad’ – Sanjay Manjrekar compares youngster to Pakistan legend after Bengaluru defeat

With the kind of tenacity they displayed in the Test after a terrible batting effort in the first innings, Rohit Sharma and company will be able to keep their heads high regardless of the outcome.