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Cricket Players'Had tears in eyes. Wanted my photo to come in newspapers': 24-year-old Indian reveals emotional story behind comeback
The 24-year-old revealed how much it meant to him to be able to play for his home team once again, having previously thought that opportunity was lost.
Sarfaraz Khan has had a gargantuan couple of Ranji Trophy seasons, scoring bulk runs for Mumbai and being the central figure in their run to the final this year. He scored 982 runs in 2022, consisting of 4 centuries, including one in the final against Madhya Pradesh. (Also Read | Sehwag comes up with befitting reply to troll questioning his viral Virat Kohli-Jonny Bairstow tweet)
Returning to Mumbai after having represented Uttar Pradesh for a duration, Sarfaraz revealed how much it meant to him to be able to play for his home team once again, having previously thought that opportunity was lost.
Speaking on YouTube for a series called ‘SK Tales’, Sarfaraz recounted, “When I had left Mumbai and was on my way to UP, I had played U14, U16, U19, U25 as well as Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. So we all know that jumbo bag of blue colour in which I was filling all my Ranji Trophy clothes."
Sarfaraz had famously played with Prithvi Shaw and Armaan Jaffer as the trio scored incredible amounts of runs while in school cricket, from a very young age. All three were in the Ranji Trophy team for Mumbai, and Shaw is now Sarfaraz’s teammate at the Delhi Capitals as well.
“So when I was storing that bag as we no longer needed that kit, I had tears in my eyes as it was my dream to score a Ranji Trophy hundred in Mumbai clothes. I was emotional because I thought I would never play for Mumbai again,” said Sarfaraz. His return has been successful, and he’s proven his worth to those who believed in him to come good. Batting at number 5 for Mumbai, the 24-year-old might even have his eyes set on a potential role in the Indian team in the near future.
“I even wanted my photo to come in the newspapers where I have taken off my helmet and I am showing my bat after scoring the hundred." He would extend that into a triple century on his Mumbai return.
“I was determined to play for Mumbai so I told my father that if I play cricket, I will play for Mumbai or I will leave playing the game. I took a cooling period of one year, and played club matches. I had a tough time but when I made a comeback I scored a triple hundred against UP."
Sarfaraz has certainly left his mark on the Indian domestic cricket scene, and will be hoping to continue his immense form into a third consecutive season in the Ranji Trophy. This time, he and Mumbai will hope to go one better, and avenge the loss in the final against MP by lifting the trophy themselves in 2023.
