Sarfaraz serves another timely reminder

Bengaluru: V V S Laxman and Sarfaraz Khan are as different as chalk is from cheese. Where Laxman came across as a suave, sophisticated and supremely stylish batter, Sarfaraz is an exact antithesis of these traits. What binds them together, though, is their penchant for big knocks whenever they are pushed to the corner. Every time Laxman went out of favour of the National selectors, he made it difficult for them to keep him out for too long with innings of great substance. It's perhaps this mentality that enabled him to produce the greatest Test innings by an Indian.     

Sarfaraz is no Laxman, yet. He has miles to travel before he can get there but in his short but eventful international career, he has given enough evidence of his ability to bounce back whenever he has been "snubbed."

The right-hander, who gave himself an early birthday present (he was born on Oct 22) on Saturday with his maiden Test ton (150) against New Zealand, had every reason to feel let down even if the decision to accommodate K L Rahul in the middle order at his expense for the Bangladesh series was made on a sound judgement. After all Sarfaraz had proved his credentials during the preceding England series with three half-centuries in five innings. 

When he was released from the Indian squad to play for Mumbai in the Irani Cup, ahead of the second Test in Kanpur, he responded with a double hundred against a Rest of India attack instead of sulking for missing out on a Test. He never either lost his motivation when his phenomenal batting in domestic cricket didn't get the due weightage season after season. The soon-to-be 27-year-old served so many reminders of his potential that it could no longer be ignored.

While one isn't sure if Sarfaraz would retain his position in the 11 for the second Test in Pune with Shubman Gill set to return to his No. 3 spot, he has certainly put the team management on a sticky wicket especially with Rahul bringing up two low scores here.

"I just follow my process," said Sarfaraz later when asked as to how he manages to keep himself motivated. "I have been scoring runs for the last four-five years, I just focus on what is in my control. Whatever my shortcomings are, I try to work on them. Whenever possible, I also speak to my father. He keeps me motivated. That's what keeps me going.

"I always keep this in mind that tomorrow is uncertain. It has happened in the past that while thinking about tomorrow, my present was hampered. So, I try to stay in the present."

Sarfaraz's father Naushad Khan has been a big factor, even if a bit overbearing, in his growth as a prolific batter and few would have been prouder as his son set off for a celebration after bringing up his maiden Test hundred with a backfoot punch that sped to the rope.

While his backfoot punches brought out the text-book batter in him, most of his runs came through cuts, late dabs and upper cuts. The Kiwi pacers mostly bowled to him in the corridor hoping for an edge, but the ball either fell short or wide. That, however, did little to deter Sarfaraz from playing those high-risk but high-reward shots.      

"I like playing the balls that rise high," he said when asked about his upper cuts. "I have a bouncy wicket back at home (in Mumbai), and I play regularly there, and the bounce easily allows me to cut it. They (Kiwis) were trying to ball short at me, and I simply played accordingly. It was fun."

Fun he did have and, in the wake, left the huge raucous gathering wanting for more.