As his son makes his Test debut in Rajkot, Sarfaraz Khan’s father breaks down in tears

NEW DELHI: On Thursday, middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan made his debut for India, after years of arduous labor and a recent spate of runs in domestic cricket. Bowling veteran Anil Kumble presented the 26-year-old Mumbaikar with the Test cap ahead of the third Test against England in Rajkot.

Sarfaraz’s father, Naushad Khan, stepped aside during Team India’s cap presentation ceremony in a huddle just before the toss. Unable to contain his emotions, he started crying.
Observe:

Hurt Sarfaraz entered the picture when KL Rahul was ruled out of the game.
Together with Sarfaraz, young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel made his Test debut for India.
Naushad Khan, Sarfaraz’s father, gives his son a kiss on his test hat. (Grab from video)
Due to KL Rahul’s thigh ailment and the absence of batting leader Virat Kohli for personal reasons, India rewarded 26-year-old Sarfaraz’s strong domestic record by inserting him into the squad.

In addition, Jurel, a young wicketkeeper-batsman, was picked ahead of Srikar Bharat, who had taken wickets in the previous two Tests, because of his aggressive batting approach.
After two matches, the series was tied at one wicket. Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, won the toss and chose to bat at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

“It’s thought that Rajkot is a strong pitch. Rohit Sharma said, “It is a good toss for us to win to bat first and put runs on the board,” highlighting the significance of laying a strong foundation for the game.
In the bowling department, Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar were left out of this match; pacer Mohammed Siraj and spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja returned to the starting XI.

As England prepared for captain Ben Stokes’ 100th Test match, fast bowler Mark Wood took the place of spinner Shoaib Bashir as the lone alteration in their squad.
Stokes was pleased with England’s performance so far in the series, saying, “We have been very happy with how we have gone about things in the first two Tests.”
As the series goes on, the scene is set for an exciting struggle as both sides try to take the lead in this important match.