Sarfaraz Khan - India's Test Cricketer Number 311, Father Naushad in Tears

Sports teach you, or rather prepare you, to be ready for tough moments, but sometimes it is good to let your emotions take over. On the opening day of the Rajkot Test, the legendary Anil Kumble handed debutant Sarfaraz Khan his Test cap number 311.

The 26-year-old did well to keep his emotions in check, but standing a few yards away from the team huddle, Sarfaraz's father, Naushad Khan, along with his daughter-in-law, was hit by a thunder of emotions as tears rolled down his eyes as he watched his son officially join the elusive list of cricketers to have represented India in Test cricket.

Soon after Sarfaraz received his Test cap, he quickly ran toward his father and presented the shining Baggy Blue cap to the man, who was wholly and solely responsible for turning him into an Indian Test cricketer. Naushad, under the heavy influence of emotions already, once again let the tears do all the talking as he kissed the badge on the cap and, for more than a second or two, remembered the painful and exhaustive journey that lasted for close to two decades, with the only aim of making his son a Test cricketer for the country.

To his credit, Sarfaraz acknowledged his father's contribution, quickly wiped his tears, and hugged him. The right-handed batter was also aware of his wife's presence, who also couldn't control her tears. Though there was an overdose of emotions, Sarfaraz didn't allow them to shake him, which, on the other hand, made him even more determined.

Sarfaraz's Crucial Half-Century Lifts India in Rajkot

When he walked into the middle, India was in a good position, but by no means in a commanding one. Sarfaraz decided to take the aggressive route and showed England a trailer for India's version of Bazball. After giving due respect to Mark Wood, Sarfaraz punished the England spinners and took them to the cleaners. He was flawless when it came to his aerial hits, and skipper Ben Stokes also helped his cause by bringing the field up.

Sarfaraz notched up his half-century in only 48 balls, giving England a real scare of scoring a hundred in the remaining 40 minutes of play. However, that was not to be, as a mix-up with local lad Ravindra Jadeja resulted in him getting run out at 62. His inning was laced with nine boundaries and one six, but more importantly, the cameras focused on skipper Rohit Sharma's reaction, who was angry as hell and also threw his cap in disgust.

The youngster was understandably dejected as sadness loomed large over his face in the dressing room. He knew he made a mistake, but that's exactly what Test cricket is all about: keeping your emotions in check.

Amidst all this, Indian Captain Rohit Sharma's gesture towards Sarfaraz's father and family also won several hearts. He went on to congratulate Naushad, which says a lot about the leader and the amount of respect that he deserves from the current team.

Sarfaraz Khan Owes This to his Father Naushad

The cricketing world witnessed what transpired on Day 1 in Rajkot, and people who are associated with Sarfaraz Khan and his family will know the kind of effort his father Naushad has put in to realize the dream of playing Test cricket for the country.

"My father introduced me to cricket, and I always wondered why am I even playing. I am an attacking batsman and I used to get out sooner than others and scoring big runs was getting difficult. It was disheartening to see others succeed while I wouldn't be among the runs. But my dad always believed in hard work, and everything I have is a result of that work," said Sarfaraz.

All those years of grind in the domestic circuit, the wish to play for the country, making all those sacrifices, and waiting patiently for his turn is indeed a lesson for all the young domestic players who also harbor the dream of bagging that Test cap soon.

Before the Rajkot Test, Sarfaraz played 45 FC matches, registering 3912 runs at a stunning average of 69.85, with the help of 14 tons and 11 half-centuries. This also tells you that going through the grind has helped Sarfaraz become mentally tough, and having reached here, he will not let success go into his head, and take things for granted.

Fans would have wanted more from Sarfaraz, possibly a test hundred on debut. That can wait for now. Given the high-voltage emotional Tsunami, he had to go through, on and off the cricket pitch, a good night's sleep is what Sarfaraz needs right now. Looking at the bigger picture, India needs to win the Test match, and the right-handed batter will need to show his batting prowess in the second innings as well.

Welcome to the Test club, Sarfaraz! Very well deserved, and hopefully, you will serve Indian cricket for many years to come.

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(The author is a cricket expert and has worked as a sports writer for broadcast and multimedia platforms for over a decade.)