Why does Sarfaraz Khan wear jersey number 97 in the IND vs. ENG 2024 match?

Sarfaraz Khan, who has been working hard in domestic cricket for the past few years, was given the chance to debut for the national squad in the third Test match against England at Rajkot. As their desire was eventually realized, his father, Naushad Khan and wife, Romana Zahoor, sobbed as Anil Kumble gave the cricketer his debut cap.

It’s interesting to note that Sarfaraz Khan’s jersey number was released shortly after that. The cricket player has worn the number 97 since his U-19 days, as does his brother Musheer Khan, who most recently represented India in the U19 World Cup held in South Africa. According to News18, the cricket player has already disclosed that it is an homage to his father.

Naushad is a well-known coach in the domestic game who has developed a number of cricket players, notably Sarfaraz Khan. Remarkably, his father’s name is a loose combination of nau (nine) and saat (seven), the Hindi equivalents of the numerals 9 and 7, which adds up to 97.

On debut, Sarfaraz Khan scores a quick 62.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rajat Patidar returned to the pavilion early on Day 1 because of the Indian hitters’ struggles, which saw them reduced to 33/3. But captain Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja saved the day, putting together a vital 204-run stand.

When Rohit misjudged Mark Wood’s pull, he was out for 131 runs. Subsequently, Sarfaraz emerged and fundamentally altered the match by employing an aggressive style of cricket to exert pressure on England. Before being run out due to a misunderstanding with Jadeja, the Mumbai-born cricket player amassed 62 runs off just 66 deliveries.

As they made their way back to the pavilion, Sarfaraz was unhappy and Rohit was incensed over being fired. With Jadeja batting on 110* runs and Kuldeep at his side, India finished the first day with a 326/5 total.