1,600 km car journey and 500 balls per day in nets: Sarfaraz Khan's journey to master spin revealed
At 26 years old, Sarfaraz Khan earned his Test cap after years of hard work in the domestic circuit, amplified by focused training sessions, especially during the two COVID-19 lockdowns.
FollowSarfaraz Khan's remarkable debut performance against England's spinners wasn't a stroke of luck; it was the culmination of over 15 years of dedicated effort, supported by his father Naushad Khan's vigilant guidance. Making his debut in Rajkot, Sarfaraz showcased his prowess with two confident half-centuries, solidifying his presence in the Indian team. His journey to this point involved relentless practice, facing 500 deliveries every day, and refining his skills at his father's 'Macho Cricket Club'.
At 26 years old, Sarfaraz earned his Test cap after years of hard work in the domestic circuit, amplified by focused training sessions, especially during the two COVID-19 lockdowns. His strategic approach and disciplined preparation paid dividends against formidable opponents like Tom Hartley, Joe Root, and Rehan Ahmed in Rajkot.
"It has taken playing 500 deliveries per day from off, leg and left-arm spinners across Oval, Cross and Azad Maidans in Mumbai," a coach who has seen the Mumbaikar's growth from close quarters told PTI in an interview.
"...during (COVID) lockdown, he undertook a car journey covering 1600km. From Mumbai to Amroha, Moradabad, Meerut, Kanpur, Mathura and Dehradun, he travelled and played on proverbial 'akhadas' where the ball turns square with one shooting up and few staying down," he added.
Sarfaraz's adeptness in handling spinners was a result of rigorous training and perseverance.
While Naushad played a pivotal role, credit for Sarfaraz's development extends beyond his father. Coaches such as Sanjay Rastogi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), Badruddin Sheikh (Mohammed Shami), Kapil Deo Pandey (Kuldeep Yadav), Sanjay Bhardwaj (Gautam Gambhir), and RP Easwaran (father of India A captain Abhimanyu Easwaran) each contributed to his journey.
These coaches facilitated net sessions against spinners, particularly during the COVID lockdown, refining Sarfaraz's skills and shaping him into a polished player.
"During lockdown, Naushad called me as we are both from Azamgarh and we played club cricket in Mumbai when I was employed with the Indian Navy. So, when he wanted his son to get practice, I felt it's my duty," Kapil Pandey told PTI.
"During lockdown, Sarfaraz played Kuldeep a lot at our Kanpur Academy. They did lot of net sessions together. I would arrange T20 matches as that season, Mushtaq Ali T20 was main tournament. Having grown up playing on Mumbai's red soil, Sarfaraz has the perfect game against spin and uses his feet well," he added.
Badruddin, Mohammed Shami's coach, also emphasized his contribution to Sarfaraz's mastery of spin.
"Yes, I arranged for his training and nets in Moradabad. No doubt both the father and son worked hard. I arranged for his stay in a hostel and got him to play a number of games," he told the news agency.
Another coach, who witnessed Naushad's training sessions with his sons Sarfaraz and India U-19 star Musheer, recounted the demanding regimen the two players adhered to, even on non-match days.
"From a young age, he has been playing hundreds of balls. So when Mumbai didn't have a match, Naushad prepared an astro turf wicket at home where Sarfaraz practised against pacers. But the moment he has to play spin, they go to the Maidans and do open field training," he said.
"Even for red-ball training, Naushad would give Sarfaraz simulation training. Suppose Mumbai play Tamil Nadu in Chennai, the bowlers would be asked to create roughs with spikes and then he would be asked to play on a track that resembles a day four pitch with wide cracks," he explained.
