Only Don Bradman ahead of him! Sarfaraz Khan breaking records in first-class cricket

Sarfaraz Khan has been outstanding in Ranji Trophy since his return to Mumbai ahead of 2019-20 season.ย 
 By Kashish Chadha Jun 7, 2022, 11:53 IST
Sarfaraz Khan now averages above 80 in first-class cricket. ?width=963&height=541&resizemode=4

Sarfaraz Khan has compiled six centuries, including one triple and two double tons, since the 2019-20 Ranji season for Mumbai.ย 

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. 


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's time for higher recognition?

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. 

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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. 

 

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