Irani Cup, Sarfaraz Khan slams 10th FC ton: Key stats
Sarfaraz Khan clubbed a 126-ball 125* against Saurashtra on Day 1 of the ongoing Irani Cup on Saturday. Coming in at 18/3, the Rest of India batter has so far fetched 19 fours and two sixes in what's his 10th FC hundred. Notably, the 24-year-old pummeled a ton a few days back in the Duleep Trophy final. We decode his stats.
How did Day 1 pan out?
Opting to bowl, ROI folded Saurashtra on 98. Right-arm medium Mukesh Kumar garnered a four-fer (4/23), while Umran Malik and Kuldeep Sen claimed three wickets apiece. In response, ROI lost three wickets pretty early before Sarfaraz came to the rescue. The right-hander stitched a mighty 187*-run stand alongside skipper Hanuma Vihari (61*). The pair guided ROI to 205/3 and a 107-run lead at stumps.
Leading run-scorer of Ranji Trophy 2021/22
Sarfaraz scored runs for fun in the Ranji Trophy 2021/22. He concluded as the leading run-scorer, having slammed 982 runs at an astronomical average of 122.75. The talented Sarfaraz bashed four centuries and two fifties. His scores read: 275, 63, 48, 165, 153, 40, 59*, 134, and 45. Despite Sarfaraz's heroics, Mumbai failed to get the job done in the final against Madhya Pradesh.
Sarfaraz was a class act in Duleep Trophy final
Sarfaraz was all smiles post the Duleep Trophy final. Playing for West Zone, the middle-order batter bashed 34 and 127* against Vihari-captained South Zone. He laid the foundation for his side's 294-run win in the coveted encounter. Notably, he had belted a match-winning 63 just a few days ago, in India A's third unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Bengaluru.
Sarfaraz knows the art of scoring daddy hundreds!
Sarfaraz owns seven 150-plus scores out of 10 FC centuries. His scores read: 153 vs Uttarakhand (2022), 165 v Odisha (2022), 275 vs Saurashtra (2022), 177 vs MP (2020), 226* vs Himachal Pradesh (2020), 301* vs UP (2020), and 155 vs MP (2015).
A look at his domestic career
Sarfaraz debuted in FC cricket against Bengal in Ranji Trophy 2014-15. His thirst for runs has driven him to 2,915 runs in merely 29 FC matches, averaging over 75.00. He has tonked 10 tons and eight fifties, with the best score of 301*. Meanwhile, he has stacked up 325 and 872 runs in List A and T20s, averaging 32.50 and 22.35, respectively.
Sarfaraz making a solid case for India Test cap
Sarfaraz has hammered nine hundreds and five fifties in his last 24 FC innings, tallying over 2,200 runs and averaging over 125.00. Mind-boggling shows in Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, India A series, and now Irani Cup could garner him a selection in India's Test side.
