Sarfaraz Khan’s father Naushad overcome with emotion as son’s two-year Test wait ends

Sarfaraz Khan has been named in India’s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, ending a gap of nearly two years since his last appearance at that level. The BCCI confirmed the 28-year-old’s inclusion after Sai Sudharsan was ruled out of the series with a stress fracture in his toe, an injury he sustained during the India A tour last month. Sudharsan had been undergoing fitness and rehabilitation work at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru but was not cleared by the medical staff in time.

A video of Sarfaraz’s father and long-time coach Naushad Khan reciting a ‘shayari’ spread widely across social media platforms after the recall was announced. Sarfaraz also marked the occasion by posting a photograph of himself in the team’s training kit alongside Naushad on Instagram. Naushad’s shayari reflected the patience and persistence that had defined the family’s journey through a prolonged absence from the Test side.

“Suraj, bhale nikla hai kai raaton ke baad, lekin mehnat ko milta hai hamesha kismat ka saath, [even though the sun has risen after many nights, effort is always accompanied by luck]” he said.

Naushad Khan’s shayari after the recall announcement

Sarfaraz will join the Indian squad in Colombo before the group travels to Galle for the first Test, which is scheduled to begin on August 15. His place in the playing XI for that match is not guaranteed, as Devdutt Padikkal produced a strong performance in India’s warm-up game on Sunday, giving the team management an additional option in the batting line-up.

Sarfaraz has played six Tests to date, accumulating 371 runs at an average of 37.10, a tally that includes three half-centuries and one century. His highest score of 150 came in Bengaluru in October 2024, in a counter-attacking innings that arrived after India had been bowled out for 46 in the first innings against New Zealand. His most recent Test outing came in Mumbai in November 2024, also against New Zealand.

Following that November 2024 appearance, Sarfaraz could not secure a place in the playing XI despite remaining in contention for selection. He was part of India’s squad for the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia yet did not feature in any of the five Tests in that series. The Sri Lanka call-up now gives him a fresh opportunity at Test level.

Sarfaraz Khan’s Test record and the road back to the squad

Sarfaraz’s first-class record underlines his consistency in domestic cricket. Across 62 first-class matches, he has maintained an average of 64.73, making him one of the most prolific run-scorers in Indian domestic cricket over recent seasons. Sudharsan, the player he replaces, had scored centuries in both unofficial Tests against Sri Lanka A before his toe injury ended his participation in the series.