I want to prove that I am not just a T20 player: Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan with Uttar Pradesh skipper Praveen Kumar.
The youngster, who caught the eye in the last IPL with his adolescent naughtiness that spilled over to his batting, is growing ambitious this Ranji season. Aware that he is been seen as good for just cameos, he is hoping not to just score runs but bat for entire day. Just a few months ago, the 17-year-old stunned Mumbai cricketing fraternity by shifting his base to Uttar Pradesh, and the chubby boy also wants to work on his fitness.
“Here they give importance to fitness, it’s not that Mumbai never gave but here they feel if you are fit, you will be better in everything. I was there for ten days in Greater Noida for a fitness camp but such were our sessions that by evening I almost used to crash on my bed. Bahar jane ka chance he nahi. (There was no chance to get out!).”
It’s his batting approach, though, that he really wants to fine tune and he is talking the good talk. “Ranji is tough and I want to see myself batting for a whole day. I know if I bat that long runs will come. The challenge in these Ranji games is not about scoring but about spending time at the crease,” he says.
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There is always a danger of the IPL success getting to the head, especially when the likes of Virat Kohli used to bow to him in jest on the field, and the tag of wonder boy got attached to him.
He avers that he knows the importance of scoring runs against the red ball and even cites the examples of cricketers who have got noticed after performances in first-class cricket. “Look at Shreyas Iyer, he had a fantastic Ranji season for Mumbai last year and that confidence helped him in IPL and later in India A. Ranji mein ground khali hota hai par cricketing circle mein sabki nazar wahein hoti hai (the stadiums might be empty in Ranji matches but the eye of the cricketing world is on it),” he adds.
Sarfaraz says that success in Ranji Trophy is all about getting best from that particular situation. “I worked a lot at the nets with my father who is my coach. I prepared as if I was batting in a match. So, one day I will just leave 100 deliveries, another day I practiced just my defence. Patience is the key in the longer format. Shots khelna aasaan hai (It’s easy to play shots) but Ranji is a test of temperament and I want to get better in that.”
“Expectation bahut jyada hai mujhse, har match run karna padega,” he says as he prepares to play his first Ranji game for UP in Moradabad. “Chakachaundh zindagi hai IPL ke time (It’s a world of wonder in the IPL). I have seen how people get lost after one good season. I’m happy with the way things went but I have a long way to go.”
