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IPL 2018: Sarfaraz Khan rises from injury setback
Sarfaraz Khan was retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2018 over top players like Chris Gayle.
Two days before the 2017 Indian Premier League, Sarfaraz Khan’s world had come crashing down. Primed up to open with Chris Gayle in the absence of their injured captain Virat Kohli, the batsman tore his right knee ligament (ACL) while sliding at the boundary line in a practice game.
He missed the entire IPL season as the injury sidelined him for nearly eight months. Since then the only cricket he has played is a few local matches in Mumbai and the practice games against the India Under-19 side as part of the National Cricket Academy XI team.
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In fact, his first game at the senior level, for his state team Uttar Pradesh, will be in a couple of days in the Twenty20 Mushtaq Ali tournament. Hence, when the retention lists were being discussed by the experts for the 2018 IPL, Sarfaraz Khan’s name did not figure.
But, the men who matter – the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s team management - have seen enough quality in the few matches in those couple of knocks after his return from injury that they have bet their money on the Mumbai boy as their third pick after Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. That he has been chosen ahead of the world’s most destructive T20 player, Chris Gayle, It’is a huge boost to his confidence.
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“It is a huge thing for me that Viratbhai has shown such confidence in me. For eight months, when I was out of action, I didn’t know what was happening in life,” said Sarfaraz, who attributed his break to the chance that Under-19 coach Rahul Dravid gave him in the NCA XI at the end of December.
“I got a 90-ball 130 in the first game and 70 in the second (against India U-19). Those games were in Bangalore and the RCB coaches must have noticed I was in good nick,” stated the Uttar Pradesh batsman who is known for his aggressive, innovative style of batting.
Talking about the injury setback, Sarfaraz said: “I have played all my cricket on Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, where the surface is all mud and stones, and I would dive there but never got injured and here on the best turf I tore my ligament.”
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That time too, Viratbhai sent a long text, saying ‘how this was the time to stay positive, and if I allowed myself to be affected by the setback I will never be able to rise but if I came out of it well, there won’t be any looking back. This phase, will help me understand myself and my game better’.
The player said, he owes everything to his father and coach Naushad Khan. “I gave him the example of Jasprit Bumrah and Ashish Nehra, who also underwent operations. I told him if the fast bowlers can make successful returns from injury, then for a batsman there is nothing to worry at all,” revealed Naushad.
An uncapped Indian player, RCB have retained Sarfaraz for Rs.1.75 crore.
