Sarfaraz Khan becomes 3rd Indian batter to achieve rare feat after scoring 150 on Day 4 of IND vs NZ 2024 1st Test
Team India batter Sarfaraz Khan notched up his maiden Test ton on Day 4 of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 19. Known for his big knocks in domestic cricket, the right-handed batter went on to convert his maiden Test hundred into 150.
By virtue of his second-innings performance, the Mumbai batter became only the third Indian cricketer to score a duck as well as 150 in the same Test match. The 26-year-old was dismissed without scoring in the first innings, caught at mid-off as he tried to take on Matt Henry.
Before Sarfaraz, only Madhav Apte and Nayan Mongia had registered a duck and a score of 150 or more in the same Test match. Apte's performance came in the Test match against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1953 as he scored 0 and 163*. Mongia followed up his 152 with a duck in the 1996 Test against Australia in Delhi in 1996, a game which marked the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India in trouble against New Zealand despite Sarfaraz's heroics on Day 4
India resumed their second innings on Day 4 against New Zealand in Bengaluru at 231-3. Virat Kohli had been dismissed for 70 on the last ball of Day 3. Sarfaraz (150 off 195) and Rishabh Pant (99 off 105), however, added 177 for the fourth wicket to lift the hosts.
Sarfaraz struck 18 fours and three sixes in his memorable knock, while Pant slammed nine fours and five sixes in his aggressive innings. Once the partnership was broken, though, India suffered a shocking batting collapse. Sarfaraz was caught at cover trying to take on Southee, while Pant chopped one on from the tall right-armer William O’Rourke.
India were 408-3 when the fourth-wicket partnership was broken. They ended up losing seven wickets for the addition of a mere 54 runs in the second innings and were bowled out for 462. Since they conceded a massive 356-run first-innings lead, after getting bundled out for 46, New Zealand only need 107 runs on Day 5 to go 1-0 in the three-match series.