Sarfaraz Khan scored his maiden Test century on day four of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, which helped India cut the visitors’ first-innings lead to under hundred runs.
Sarfaraz, who got a chance to play because of Shubman Gill’s stiff neck, made amends for his duck in the first innings with a stroke-filled century in 110 balls, including 13 fours and 3 sixes.
India vs New Zealand Test: Focus returns on India batters after high-scoring day
He reached the landmark with a boundary off Tim Southee and celebrated in style, raising both his hands in a celebratory sprint.
The 26-year-old from Mumbai has also scored four half-centuries in his impressive start to Test cricket. This is his fourth Test since making debut against England earlier this year in February.
This is the 22nd time in Test history that an Indian batsman has scored both a duck and a century in the same match. The last time this happened was as recently as last month when Shubman Gill did it against Bangladesh in Chennai.
Sarfaraz had made it to the Indian team after constantly knocking at the selectors’ door with his consistency in domestic cricket. His current first-class numbers read 51 matches, 76 innings, 4422 runs, highest 301 not out, average 69.09, 15 hundreds, 14 fifties.
The day began with India 125 runs adrift from erasing New Zealand’s first-innings lead of 356 runs. The Kiwis scored 402 after dismissing India for a mere 46 — their lowest total in a Test on home soil.
Earlier, Rishabh Pant recovered from a blow on his knee on day two to join Sarfaraz as the new batsman on the fourth morning after Virat Kohli fell off the last ball on day three.
Pant was struck on his knee while wicket-keeping and was helped off the field. Dhruv Jurel kept wickets in Pant’s absence.
