Sarfaraz Khan has been outstanding in Ranji Trophy since his return to Mumbai ahead of 2019-20 season.
Opportunities to rock the T20s via the IPL may have been rare for Sarfaraz Khan, but the talented right-hander has been prolific with the bat in first-class cricket.
Ever since his return to Mumbai for the start of the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season, the pocket-size dynamo has been nailing one hundred after the other playing for the domestic cricket powerhouse.
Sarfaraz has scored as many as six hundreds, including a triple century and two double centuries, in his previous 13 matches of the Ranji Trophy. With his latest 153 against Uttarakhand in the 2022 Ranji Trophy quarter-final, it is seven tons.
The youngster now averages above 80 in first-class cricket with seven hundreds and 2,252 runs next to his name at a tender age of 24. Only Sir Don Bradman averages higher than Sarfaraz Khan in first-class cricket at a minimum bar of 2000 runs.
Highest averages in first-class cricket (min 2000 runs)
Don Bradman – 95.14
𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘇 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗻 – 𝟴𝟬+
Vijay Merchant – 71.64
George Headley – 69.86
Bahir Shah – 69.02#SarfarazKhan #RanjiTrophy #RanjiTrophy2022— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) June 7, 2022
Highest averages in first-class cricket (min 2000 runs)
Don Bradman – 95.14
𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘇 𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗻 – 𝟴𝟬+
Vijay Merchant – 71.64
George Headley – 69.86
Bahir Shah – 69.02#SarfarazKhan #RanjiTrophy #RanjiTrophy2022— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) June 7, 2022
Often decried over for his physical being, Sarfaraz, by piling on consistent big scores in the red-ball game, has also dispelled doubts around his cricketing fitness, with none of his seven hundreds ending below the 150-mark.
Sarfaraz Khan currently has more than 2,200 first-class runs at an average over 80 with 7 hundreds.
None of his previous six hundreds have ended below 150. Two double hundreds, one triple hundred and two 150-plus scores.
What a talent! pic.twitter.com/Hku5mLi8Nc
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) June 7, 2022
Sarfaraz Khan’s great run feels even more remarkable in context that the young gun has maintained his characteristically explosive batting approach. The 24-year-old has a first-class strike-rate of 71.76 over 32 innings, featuring 243 fours and 43 sixes.
In the ongoing Ranji season, Sarfaraz has carried a strike-rate of 72.65 while averaging an incredible 140.8 for his 704 runs. The freeflowing right-hand bat has been dominated Ranji attacks for a while and had scores of 275, 63, 48 and 165 during the league stage in March heading into the quarterfinal this week against Uttarakhand.
Sarfaraz Khan’s first-class numbers 👏👏👏
Innings – 33
Runs – 2252
Average – 80.42
100s – 4
200s – 2
300s – 1
SR – 71.94#RanjiTrophy #RanjiTrophy2022 pic.twitter.com/ikkaLB7HB1— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) June 7, 2022
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In the first knock-out, on Day 1 this Monday (June 6), Sarfaraz walked in at No.5 with Mumbai slightly unsettled at 176/3 and produced another century (153 off 205 balls) to help the side take a position of real strength in Karnataka.
He would be hoping to continue his rich vein of form and earn higher recognition with India A tours and a potential entry into India’s Test squad for the very first time.
