Sarfaraz Khan, who was dropped for the two-match India vs Bangladesh Test series, brought up his 15th first-class century for Mumbai vs Rest of India in the Irani Cup 2024 match.
Young Mumbai star Sarfaraz Khan continued his phenomenal run in domestic cricket after being dropped from the playing 11 for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh recently. Sarfaraz, who was left out of India’s playing 11 with KL Rahul returning from injury, was released to playing in the Irani Cup 2024 match for Mumbai against Rest of India side in Lucknow.
Sarfaraz notched up his 15th first-class century in just his 74th match and he has also scored 14 fifties. The 26-year-old Mumbai batter lifted his side with the Ranji Trophy champions struggling at 37 for 3 and 139 for 4 on Day 1. But the youngster first put on 131 runs with his skipper Ajinkya Rahane for the fifth wicket and has already piled up 86 runs for the 7th wicket with all-rounder Tanush Kotian.
But the 103rd over of the innings, Sarfaraz was batting on 127 off 185 balls with 17 boundaries. Sarfaraz bought up his ton with a couple of runs off Yash Dayal off 149 balls with 14 fours.
WATCH Sarfaraz Khan bring up his 15th first-class century HERE…
THAT moment when Sarfaraz Khan brought up his 💯👏
A brilliant knock so far 🙌#IraniCup | @IDFCFIRSTBank
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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 2, 2024
Earlier, Rahane fell just three runs short of a well-deserved 41st first-class century as he was caught behind off his gloves off a Yash Dayal delivery. Both Rahane and Sarfaraz have served notice to the selectors to keep themselves in contention for a spot in the Test side for the upcoming three-match Test series against New Zealand beginning in Bengaluru on October 16 followed by the five-match Test series against Australia later this year.
Rahane had concentrated hard as his unbeaten 86 off 197 balls took Mumbai to 237 for four against Rest of India on a weather-curtailed opening day of the Irani Cup 2024 on Monday. The veteran of 5,000 plus runs in 85 Tests, who is not on national selectors’ radar, dug deep into his reservoirs of concentration to keep Mumbai on even keel against an impressive duo of Mukesh Kumar (3/60 in 14 overs) and Yash Dayal (1/46 in 15 overs).
Shreyas Iyer (57 off 84 balls) and Sarfaraz Khan (54 batting, 88 balls) were tad a more adventurous in trying to get a move on in the 68 overs of play possible on Tuesday. In fact, Rahane played the second fiddle during his 102-run fourth wicket stand with Iyer after Mukesh had reduced them to 37 for three in his first spell.
At stumps, Rahane had the company of Sarfaraz and the duo had 98 runs for the fifth wicket and would like to consolidate on the second day. For someone, who has 12 Test hundreds in his 40 first-class tons, Rahane wasn’t exactly very assertive during his stay at the wicket. He has so far hit six fours and a six over long-off off left-arm spinner Manav Suthar’s bowling.
He did hit a few crisp boundaries through off-side but overall never looked like on top of the ROI bowling. In fact apart from that six and a boundary, Suthar kept him quiet with only 22 runs taken off 58 balls bowled by the Rajasthan spinner.
(with PTI inputs)
