It is like a dream to play besides someone like Virat Kohli: Sarfaraz Khan

Young Sarfaraz Khan has found his phone to be buzzing since Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) announced their decision to retain him as one of their three picks for the IPL 2018 season. January 4 was the last date for the franchises to submit the list of players they intended to retain. From the three picks they had, RCB were spoilt for choices with a star-studded squad on offer. While Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were automatic selections, it was the third name that demanded some thinking.

RCB shelled out 3 crore from their purse to hold onto Sarfraz (will be paid 1.75 crore), who had missed out the previous season owing to an injury sustained during a pre-season match. It required a surgery, rehabilitation and a lot of patience. The call from the team manager conveying to the player that they intended to retain him pleased Sarfaraz to no end, considering he calls the team his ‘family’.

The Magical Call

“Avinash Vaidya sir, RCB manager called me and said the team wishes to retain you. I was so happy I cannot exactly describe that feeling. They have been very close to me, like a family. RCB helped me through the injury even paid for all my treatment and surgery. I am really happy to be retained,” a jubilant Sarfaraz told CricTracker over the phone.

He got a call from India junior team coach Rahul Dravid to share his playing experiences and play against the India U19 team that was about to take off for the junior World Cup from Bangalore. He played a good knock there and that, in his view nailed him the retention.

Knock that earned him the retention

“Rahul Dravid sir called me and I played a good knock against the U19 team in Bangalore. I think that knock made sure RCB retained me,” the youngster reflected.

At a very young age, he understands his role in the team and knows that the top order with the likes of Kohli and de Villiers will do most of the scoring and he is expected to walk out and send the ball for a leather hunt. Though he is open to opening as well, the young lad is mature enough to accept that it will happen as he becomes a more seasoned cricketer.

“To be playing alongside Virat Kohli bhai, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle feels like a dream. Those are the guys we see on the TV all throughout the year and then, I am playing with them. To know that they like you and earn their praise for batting well is truly amazing. I get to learn a lot from them and wish to continue doing that,” the 20-year-old added, talking about the atmosphere in the team with the big stars around.

He hurt his knee during a practice match ahead of IPL 2017 and that ruled him out of the entire season. He was supposed to open the batting alongside Chris Gayle since Virat had troubles with his shoulder, but a fielding effort at the Chinnaswamy despite a lush outfield, injured his knee so much so that it required him to go under the knife.

Unfortunate injury

“Almost all my life I’ve dived on the rough outfield of Azad Maidan but never picked up any injury. Here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, I got injured which is such a strange thing. But I guess that is how it is, you never know what can happen, ” opined Sarfaraz Khan.

He also learnt the harsh reality that very few stand by your side during the tough times as he says that no one apart from his family and some close ones, bothered to check up on him when he was out with the injury. Avinash Vaidya, he maintains, was one man who constantly kept an eye on how the lad was doing.

Father’s dream

Sarfaraz’s father Naushad Khan, who was a club level player himself at one point in time, was determined to make his son a cricketer who would represent the country at the highest level. From a very young age, he trained, coached and mentored him.

The doting father even gave him throwdowns, paid other teams to play so that his son got enough match practice. One gets to hear that kids on the Maidans of Mumbai were paid to field and bring the ball back while Sarfaraz had a go in the nets.

All this effort paid rich dividends as the burly lad made it to the India U19 team at 15. Fast forward to this day and he says that whatever he is and whatever he becomes, is all because of his ‘Abbu’. Naushad has been the guiding light in his son’s life. Even when the doctors had advised him to stay away from any cricket for at least four months, he had the bat back in his hand within a couple of months as his father didn’t want him to lose the touch.

Sarfaraz shared an incident from his childhood he doesn’t remember but was recounted to him by his father. To identify whether his son was a right-hander or a lefty, a friend suggested Naushad to place a candy and see which hand he uses to pick it. When they kept it on the left side he picked it from the left hand and from the other when the two friends decided to switch it to his right. Sarfaraz laughed and said that when they placed it in the middle, he grabbed it with both his hands.

Gayle’s influence

At an age where cricketers enjoy massive followings on social media, Sarfaraz Khan keeps himself away from most platforms while he does use Instagram. “I didn’t use any social media platform but Chris Gayle got me onto Instagram, so I use that but there are times when I quit that as well,” he admitted.

The gritty young man has set his eyes on doing well for RCB and is willing to play any role the team demands.