Irani Cup LIVE: Sarfaraz Khan BANGS on selector's doors once again, pushes for Test cap

Irani Cup LIVE: Sarfaraz Khan century – Sarfaraz Khan continued his Bradman-esque form on Saturday as he piled on yet another century in red ball cricket. Featuring in the Rest of India side, Sarfaraz scored an unbeaten 125 to end Day 1 to put him back in contention for a call-up in India vs Bangladesh Test series. Long overlooked for his fitness, the 24-year-old has amassed nearly 3000 runs in the past two seasons, making it almost impossible to ignore him. Follow SAUR vs ROI LIVE and Irani Cup 2022 Updates on Insidesport.IN

Also Read: SAUR vs ROI Day 1 Highlights: Sarfaraz Khan slams TON, Vihari, bowlers star as Rest of India take 107-run lead – Check Highlights

Irani Cup LIVE: Sarfaraz Khan BANGS on selector’s doors once again, pushes for Test cap with Bradman-Esque run – Check out

Indian head coach Rahul Dravid had earlier referred that players need to ‘bang the doors open, not just knock’ and Sarfaraz Khan has taken it up a notch with yet another century on Saturday. Having scored centuries in the Ranji Trophy final and the Duleep Trophy final, the 24-year-old Mumbai stalwart smashed an unbeaten 125 to outscore Saurashtra on Day 1 of the Irani Cup.

💯 for Sarfaraz Khan! 🙌 🙌

What a stunning knock this has been by the right-hander! 👏 👏

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/u3koKzDR7B #IraniCup | #SAUvROI | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/O2XeAZ91RV

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 1, 2022

In the form of his life, Sarfaraz Khan showed some ferocity as he hit the 2020 Ranji Trophy champions to all parts of the ground on a rather difficult surface. Coming into bat at 18 for 3, the 24-year-old stitched a stellar partnership with Hanuma Vihari to guide his team to Stumps.

Sarfaraz Khan’s purple patch

	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	SR	100	50	4s	6s
2019/20 Ranji Trophy	9	3	928	301*	154.66	78.64	3	2	112	22
2021/22 Ranji Trophy	9	1	982	275	122.75	69.54	4	2	93	19
Overall FC career	42	7	2790	301*	79.71	69.55	9	8	307	58

Irani Cup LIVE: Sarfaraz Khan BANGS on selector’s doors once again, pushes for Test cap with Bradman-Esque run – Check out

Sarfaraz Khan was ignored for the home Test series against Sri Lanka even as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped. Indian management opted to go with Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer and the duo were duly retained alongside Pujara for the England Test.

WATCH: Sarfaraz Khan stars with a superb 1⃣2⃣5⃣* ! 👌 👌

Relive his perfomance from Day 1 🎥 🔽 #IraniCup | #SAUvROI | @mastercardindia https://t.co/YtB3EF5HgJ pic.twitter.com/x5hY7Ppx2G

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 1, 2022

While Sarfaraz Khan’s talent and form have never been in question it is his fitness and the competition for places in the Indian team that has denied him chances. The talk about his fitness doesn’t bother him and Sarfaraz in a previous interaction with Insidesport suggested being on the ground for 4 days was no mean feat.

I have started understanding my body very well and the runs are also getting good. Staying on the ground for 4 days is not that easy and I am fielding well in every match,” Sarfaraz had said before the Ranji Trophy final.

Irani Cup LIVE: Sarfaraz Khan BANGS on selector’s doors once again, pushes for Test cap with Bradman-Esque run – Check out

Since then Sarfaraz Khan has scored a century in the Ranji Trophy final, following it up with a hundred in the Duleep Trophy final for West Zone. He had a mixed run against New Zealand A, but returned to the top of his game in the Irani Cup tie vs Saurashtra.

Even before his recent exploits, Sarfaraz was in contention to feature in the India vs Bangladesh Test series in December.“It’s impossible to overlook him now. He will be a certainty when the selectors pick the Indian team for the Bangladesh Tests” a reliable source in the BCCI told TOI after the Ranji Trophy final.