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'He Is Going To Give Migraines..' - Manjrekar Predicts Sarfaraz Khan's Big Success In Border Gavaskar Trophy

Sarfaraz Khan after completing his century on day 4 Vs NZ (Source:@SPORTYVISHAL/x.com)Sarfaraz Khan after completing his century on day 4 Vs NZ (Source:@SPORTYVISHAL/x.com)

After India's impressive comeback against New Zealand in the ongoing first Test match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has praised young batter Sarfaraz Khan for his game-changing performance. Sarfaraz's maiden Test century, which ultimately grew into a formidable 150, has sparked discussions about his potential place in the Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.

Manjrekar Applauds Sarfaraz Khan's Remarkable Knock

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Manjrekar mentioned how Sarfaraz's innings stood out, particularly given the tricky pitch conditions in Bengaluru. The rain-affected match made the surface challenging for batters, yet he exhibited excellent technique and adaptability, making his performance all the more impressive. 

"Very happy to see the way he plays fast bowlers, and he has played fast bowlers before as well against England. This was a pitch very similar to the foreign pitches that we get, where there is a bit of pace and bounce. Interestingly, I am imagining him on a flatter pitch in Australia, where there isn't a lot of seam movement," Manjrekar said

With the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood expected to spearhead the Australian bowling lineup, the former cricketer emphasized that Sarfaraz’s superb hand-eye coordination, calmness at the crease, will be crucial attributes when playing on Australian surfaces. He went on to describe Sarfaraz Khan as a 'definite candidate' for India's playing XI during their upcoming tour of Australia.  

"He is going to give migraines to those Australian bowlers because of the shots that he plays. There is certainty, there is calmness and if you see the close up of Sarfaraz, he watches the ball always on to his bat. He has a tremendous hand-eye coordination. His technique isn't bad for Australia. I will be very excited to see how he goes, and he is a definite candidate, and he should walk into the India playing XI against Australia," Manjrekar added.

Quick Recap To Day 4 Between IND VS NZ

The Bengaluru Test, which swung back and forth between both sides, saw India take control on Day 4 after the in-form Virat Kohli was dismissed for 70 late on Day 3. Sarfaraz, alongside Rishabh Pant, stitched together a crucial partnership to stabilize the innings and guide India to a commanding second-innings total of 462. 

While Sarfaraz reached his maiden century and finished with 150, Pant fell short of his century, departing for 99. Their combined efforts laid a solid foundation for India to set New Zealand a challenging target of 107 runs.