"We had lots of financial problems, used to stay in huts"- Sarfaraz Khan on father's contribution to his rise
Mumbai star Sarfaraz Khan has had an unreal last couple of Ranji Trophy seasons. The 24-year-old showed how consistent he was in red-ball cricket this year and although Mumbai lost the Ranji Trophy final, he won the Player of the Series award.
The picture of him sharing his cheque with his father went viral, and perhaps rightly so, as he has always maintained what his father has done for him.
Sarfaraz Khan's father has been his biggest support, even when he had to go to Uttar Pradesh (UP) to play domestic cricket.
In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Sarfaraz Khan revealed how his father has struggled to see him excel again for Mumbai. He said:
"My father focuses more on the process. He was there by my side when I was struggling in my career when I left Mumbai for UP. When I started cricket when I was aged 6-7, my father used to take me to the ground. We had lots of financial problems and we used to stay in the huts. But with God's grace now everything is fine. I am playing IPL."
People didn't believe I could do well in red-ball cricket: Sarfaraz Khan
Sarfaraz Khan was an overnight sensation when he was the youngest player of his time to play in the IPL. He had also represented India in the U19 World Cup and his unorthodox shots made everyone believe that he was just going to become a white-ball specialist.
However, the youngster opened up on how he didn't lose faith in himself and continued working hard to reap rewards in red-ball cricket. He stated:
"I have been doing well in white-ball cricket since childhood and even played the World Cup (U19) when I was 15 and then also played in the IPL. So people didn't believe that I could do well even in red ball cricket. I knew I could do it and that's why my father put up an extra turf at home so that I could practice batting against swing bowling. So the focus was just on putting in the hard work and doing well."
Sarfaraz Khan's younger brother Musheer Khan is also making waves in domestic cricket. He slammed 267 on his debut in the Col. CK Nayudu Trophy 2022. Speaking about his younger brother, Sarfaraz added:
"Even my dream is to play in the IPL and for India with my brother. But let me tell you, I am not saying this because he is my brother, but he is way more talented than me. Even I get confused sometimes whether he is a bowler first or a batter. He is young now and will do well in domestic cricket and also if he gets a chance to represent India at U19 level."
Sarfaraz seems pretty focused on what he wants to achieve in his cricketing career. If he maintains this consistency, he could well have a successful international career.