 "Sarfaraz Khan smashes maiden international century in first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru")
Sarfaraz Khan scored his maiden international hundred on Saturday as he got to a Test century on Day 4 of the first Test between India and New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Sarfaraz Khan’s maiden hundred is not only a massive achievement for the middle-order batter, but it has also helped Team India come out from a difficult position after New Zealand took a 356-run first innings lead.
Sarfaraz Khan, who returned to India’s playing XI after missing out on the Bangladesh series, was dismissed for a duck in the first innings, but with the home team under pressure, the ‘crisis man’ of Mumbai smashed an attacking hundred in just 110 balls with a strike rate of 90.91 to shift the momentum in the favour of Team India.
The 26-year-old right-handed batter is in good form, having scored an unbeaten double-century in his last match as he helped Mumbai win the Irani Cup by beating the Rest of India team.
Read: How Indian bowling unit lost the plot after a disciplined start
He began the day on 70 not out as Rishabh Pant surprisingly joined him in the middle despite getting hit on his knee while keeping. While Rishabh is the senior batter, Sarfaraz took the responsibility of scoring runs and took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers with ramp shots and cut shots, quickly reaching his hundred.
Sarfaraz usually bats at No.4 for Mumbai and was awarded the same slot in the ongoing match due to Shubman Gill missing the match as a result of fitness issues. He has repaid the faith shown in him so far and will now look to post a big total and help India take the lead. He is known for playing big innings in the Ranji Trophy.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTrivia: This is the 22nd time that an Indian batter has registered a duck and a hundred in the same Test. The last Indian batter was Shubman Gill against Bangladesh in Chennai in September 2024.
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