It’s been known for some time now that Sarfaraz Khan and Musheer Khan are brimming with cricketing talent. The brothers chose to underline it almost simultaneously on Thursday by hitting centuries for their respective teams in different parts of the world.
Sarfaraz, senior by eight years, took just 160 balls to make 161 for India A against England Lions on Day 2 of their four-day fixture at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Around 7,600 kilometres away, at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Musheer also raised his bat after a run-a-ball century that set the platform for India to amass 301/7 for a 201-run win against Ireland in their second game of the U-19 World Cup. Musheer, 19, went on to make 118 off 106 balls with nine fours and four sixes before being run out in the 48th over of the innings.
While both players produced belligerent hundreds on Thursday, they are at different stages of their careers. At 26, Sarfaraz is hoping for a chance in Test cricket having established himself as a prolific run-getter for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy over the past three seasons — he averages 68.2 after 44 first-class games. He may have hoped for a call-up for the first two Tests against England once Virat Kohli pulled out due to personal reasons, but it is 30-year-old Rajat Patidar — he scored 151 in India A’s previous game against England Lions — who has been drafted into the India squad as a replacement.
Musheer, 18, is a top-order batter and left-arm spinner who’s aiming to make an impression in the U-19 World Cup. The tournament serves as a launch pad for budding cricketers, and Musheer will hope he can emulate his elder brother, who was India’s highest run-getter in the 2016 U-19 World Cup. In India’s first game against Bangladesh too, Musheer played an important role, claiming two scalps and effecting a run-out.
Their father, Naushad Khan, was overwhelmed with joy. Having travelled to Hyderabad for the BCCI function on Tuesday to collect the Madhavrao Scindia award on behalf of Sarfaraz who finished as the highest run-getter in the 2021/22 Ranji season with 982 runs in nine innings at 122.75, a flight to Lucknow on Thursday afternoon meant he couldn’t catch the moment when Musheer reached the three-figure mark.
“I was tracking both matches on my phone at the Hyderabad airport. When I boarded the flight to Lucknow, Musheer was on 45 and Sarfaraz was on 145. My flight from Hyderabad to Lucknow was delayed, but I was hoping it would be delayed further so that I could watch them bat for some more time. By the time I landed in Lucknow, I had around 700-800 messages on my phone. It was like a dream. For them to score a century on the same day is a proud moment,” said Naushad, who will spend the next few days in his native town of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.
Sarfaraz’s knock is particularly significant. While his runs in domestic cricket have been sometimes dismissed for the mediocre attacks they may have come against, he has made some valuable contributions for the India A set-up recently. He hit 68 in a game in Potchefstroom on the A tour of South Africa last month. Over the past two weeks, he has also contributed 96 and 55 against England Lions.
“I am hopeful. Whether he’s selected or not (for India), he is scoring runs in every match. I have belief in God. I have belief that he will be rewarded today or tomorrow,” Naushad said. For now, the family can savour a special moment.