Sarfaraz Khan's Father Naushad Khan Used To Make Him Sleep Hungry. Here's Why
Sarfaraz Khan's long-awaited Test debut for India unfolded on Thursday, marked by an emotional embrace with his father, Naushad Khan, ahead of the third Test against England in Rajkot.?
Naushad was moved to tears as his son received his first India cap from Anil Kumble, symbolising years of sacrifice.?Behind Sarfaraz's inspiring journey lies a tale of relentless dedication and sacrifice.?
Naushad recalled the struggles they faced, reminiscing how he instilled discipline by making his son experience the hardships of life.
Sarfaraz Khan's baptism by fire
Sarfaraz had a challenging childhood characterised by strict training routines devoid of the usual joys of youth. Naushad's parenting style was tough, and he made Sarfaraz sleep on an empty stomach and insisted on train travel even though he owned a car, all to teach valuable life lessons.
"It was my dream that what I could not do, he will. It felt like I wore the Test cap through him. He has been in a tight regime since his childhood. He has never flown kites, nor gone to hang out with his friends. He used to wake up early in the morning and go to practice. Later he would return home in the evening and practice again. When he received the cap, it felt worth it,¡± Naushad Khan told Aajtak.
"I have been harsh to him, but that has been done to him for a reason. The nights that he has slept without food, that was to teach him how the people sleeping on the footpath felt. We had a car but forced him to travel by train so that he learns the hardships of life," Naushad revealed.
Playing Test cricket through him: Sarfaraz Khan's father
Like his son, Naushad, a hard-task master, made many sacrifices to ensure his son realised his cricketing potential and played for the country one day.
The father-son pair has put in a lot of effort for several years, and their hard work has finally paid off. Naushad, who was also a cricketer in the past, expressed that he feels like he is playing Test cricket through his son.?
This is because Sarfaraz wears the number 97 on his jersey, which is a combination of "Nau" and "Saat", his father's name in Hindi.
"Sachin and Vinod Kambli have come out of maidaan, and today Sarfaraz did. Just 310 players have played Test cricket for India in the 92-year history," he added.??
Naushad had been Sarfaraz's coach and mentor since his childhood, nurturing his talent with unwavering commitment. Despite Sarfaraz's consistent performances in the Ranji Trophy, national selectors had repeatedly overlooked him.
However, fate finally smiled upon him in the ongoing series against England, granting him a chance to represent India in the Test arena amidst the absence of senior players like Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
Mastering technique: Sarfaraz Khan's 700-ball regimen??
Sarfaraz acknowledges the sacrifices made, revealing gruelling practice aimed at perfecting technique. Batting 700 balls a day was not uncommon.
"I'm an attacking player, but when an attacking player develops some patience, he can become really dangerous. There was still some problem in my technique, but my father and I worked on that a lot. So I learnt to stay on the wicket and knowing exactly where my off stump is in red-ball cricket,¡± Sarfaraz Khan had said back in 2022 while he was grinding it out in the Ranji season.
"I would play 600-700 balls every day at Cross Maidan and at home combined, especially against the swinging ball. If T20s are coming up then I just hit out in the nets, like playing the cut and pull. For day's cricket [first-class games], I would focus on leaving the ball because once you see through the first hour or so, you can get going and nobody can stop an attacking batsman like me,¡± Khan had revealed then.
In his debut innings, Sarfaraz showcased his talent with a blazing half-century, scoring 62 runs off just 66 balls. His innings promised a century until an unfortunate run-out halted his march. Yet, his performance left an indelible mark, earning admiration from fans and pundits alike.
As Sarfaraz steps up for his second innings, eyes are on him to deliver once again. With the absence of key players like Ravichandran Ashwin, he shoulders added responsibility. Yet, backed by years of toil and unwavering support from his father, Sarfaraz is poised to script more memorable moments in his cricketing journey.
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