Sarfaraz Khan: Heard from people around me and social media on reducing weight, I took that advice seriously

Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan has 250 runs this Ranji Trophy season with a hundred and a fifty to his name. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Every morning, at around six, Sarfaraz Khan heads to the maidan. It has been his routine for years. There is little point looking for him at home; Azad Maidan is where he is most likely to be found, bat in hand, preparing for another day of cricket, under the watchful eyes of his father and coach Naushad Khan.

On Monday, too, it was no different. Against Railways at the Brabourne Stadium, Sarfaraz was back doing what he knows best -- fighting it out in the middle.

Mumbai needed runs after three quickly wickets had fallen, and Sarfaraz had to dig deep with captain Siddhesh Lad. There were no shortcuts. He battled his way to a half-century, an innings built on patience and application rather than the usual flourish.

For a cricketer who has spent years piling up runs in domestic cricket, the battle is familiar. The hundreds have come, the records have followed, and the Ranji Trophy has repeatedly provided the platform for him to make his case. However, a place in India’s Test squad remains elusive.

It is a frustrating position to be in, particularly after having finally broken into the Test side. Sarfaraz has played six Tests, produced a memorable 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru in 2024 and shown that he belongs at that level.

READ | The hard yards behind Sarfaraz Khan’s second chance

“Every morning, when I wake up, I ask myself the same question: why should I work even harder? I have already played for India. But I still wake up at five in the morning and go through the same routine,” he says.

There is no dramatic answer to that question. He simply looks around, sees others working towards their dreams and finds a reason to carry on.

Sarfaraz Khan struck a sparkling 150 against New Zealand in Oct. 2024, but hasn’t found a place in the Indian XI since that series. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

“I see others working hard. I see them sweating it out, putting in the effort, and I feel that I should go out there and score runs for them. Something or the other motivates me every morning. There is always something that keeps me going…”

The disappointment of missing out on opportunities is not difficult to understand. He was part of India’s tour of Sri Lanka as a substitute after being called up while training at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. But he did not get a game. He returned to Mumbai and went back to the grind.

“I am simply playing cricket. Wherever I get an opportunity, if I am called up to the Indian team, I will go and play. If I am not called up, I will continue playing here,” he says.

For Sarfaraz, the journey has never been about waiting for things to fall into place. It has involved years of hard work, repeated comebacks and the responsibility of fulfilling a dream that was shared with his father, Naushad.

When asked about the support he has received through his career, his response is straightforward.

“The only person who has supported me is my father. Nobody else has really supported me,” he says.

“I worked hard and fulfilled my father’s dream. Playing for India is not easy, especially in this generation. And it is not as if I scored a few runs in one or two matches and made it to the Indian team. I scored 300s, 200s and 250s. I worked extremely hard to earn my place in the Indian team,” he says with a wry smile.

There has been a physical transformation, too. Sarfaraz has shed 20 kg, bringing his weight down from 97 kg to 77 kg. Interestingly, it was not a directive from the Indian team that prompted the change. “Nobody told me directly that I needed to lose weight. But whatever I heard on social media or from people around me — that perhaps I should reduce my weight — I think I took that advice seriously and worked on it,” he says.

“Whenever someone tells me that I need to work on something, or I hear something that I feel is worth addressing, I try to incorporate it into my life. I don’t do anything beyond that…”

There have also been questions about his ability to score runs outside India. Sarfaraz, however, points to his performances in South Africa and England, where he scored hundreds against India A.

“Whenever I have gone to South Africa, I have scored a hundred. When I went to England, I scored another hundred there, also off 60 balls.”

He does not want to get drawn into a debate over what selectors expect from him or whether he fits into a particular template.

“That is their outlook and their perspective. My job is to play cricket, and that is what I will continue doing,” he says, “I don’t like sitting at home during the off-season. I feel I was made for cricket.”