Sarfaraz Khan leaves Mumbai, to play for UP in Indian domestic cricket

Sarfaraz Khan leaves Mumbai, to play for UP in Indian domestic cricket: The 17-year-old prodigal batsman Sarfaraz Khan has switched over to Uttar Pradesh from the Mumbai side in the domestic cricket from this 2015/16 cricket season.

Sarfaraz’s father cum coach Naushad Khan on this transfer said that: “I spoke with Rajiv Shukla [UPCA secretary] about the desire to return to my roots and he welcomed Sarfaraz back with open hands. Diya mandir mein ho ya masjid mein, roshni hi dega (A lamp burns bright wherever it is lit). I have told Rajeevji that I’m ready to play my son wherever they want. He (Rajeev) had told me that he has to do well in selection games and then only will UPCA will consider Sarfaraz but he is no stranger to proving himself time and again.”

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) tried its best to retain the young star but it didn’t succeed in doing so. MCA joint secretary Dr PV Shetty said, “he tried to convince them to stay back in Mumbai”, but decided to give the requisite no-objection certificate once he realised that “Naushad and Sarfaraz had made up their mind”.

Also Read – Interesting facts about the Young Sensation Sarfaraz Khan

Apart from his top-notch skills with the bat, this Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) player has also been involved in many controversies as on many occasions he has lost his cool and his short temper has frayed up. Last year in an Under-19 knockout match, while representing Mumbai, Sarfaraz Khan had made an obscene gesture from the middle to the selectors which has resulted in his omission, he had to apologize for it later. Similarly, earlier this year during Indian Premier league (IPL) he was involved in a spat with KKR opener Robin Uthappa.

Naushad Khan also heaped praises on the MCA for grooming the youngster as he asserted that, “We are extremely thankful to all the opportunities Sarfaraz has been presented with by the Mumbai Cricket Association. The association has time and again stood by him and that has played a key role in Sarfaraz’s moulding into a good cricketer.

Sarfaraz talent came to limelight when in 2009, the boy broke the record for highest score in a Haris Sheffield Shield match. He played a gigantic knock of 439 runs. He also represented the India side in 2014 Under-19 World Cup and scored 211 runs in six innings at a staggering average of 70 and an implausible strike rate of 105. But, ultimately it was in the recently concluded IPL, that his sublime performances made him an overnight star and a household name in the country.