New Delhi: Out of Team India batsman Sarfraz Khan is in the news today (July 21) due to the pictures of his tremendous physical transformation.
The 27-year-old has faced fitness problems on several occasions in the last decade.
Kohli’s advice changed his life
About five years ago, Sarfraz had done a similar fitness transformation, after which he thanked Virat Kohli. The Mumbai batsman made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2015. However, after three seasons, he was released from the team and in 2019 he joined Punjab Kings (PBKS).
From ‘Panda’ to ‘Macho’
Recalling what Kohli said during his impressive 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season, Sarfraz said:
“I was not just happy with my fitness improvement but also because it helped me score runs. There was a time when all my teammates called me ‘Panda’ because I ate a lot. Now they call me ‘Macho’. In fact, very few people know that this is my new nickname.”
He further said,
“In 2016, I was dropped from RCB due to fitness. Virat Kohli clearly told me that there was no shortage of skills but due to fitness I was not able to reach the next level. He told me his point very honestly.”
Struggle in IPL, consistency in Ranji
Although Sarfraz Khan has scored consistently in first class cricket, his comeback in IPL has not been easy. He has remained unsold for the last two seasons, while he was last seen on the field for Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2023.
Did wonders in Test debut against England
Sarfraz Khan’s dream came true when he made his debut for India in the home Test series against England early last year. In the Rajkot Test, he scored half-centuries in both innings and led India to a 434-run win.
Scored important runs in the Test series, but performance dropped
After this, he also played the remaining two Tests against England and scored another half-century in the last match of the series, helping India win the series 4-1. He scored his first Test century in the first match of the home series against New Zealand.
Dropped after New Zealand and Australia tour
However, Sarfraz’s performance was poor in the remaining matches of the series and he could score only 21 runs in four innings. After this, he was part of the Indian team on the tour of Australia, but he did not get a chance in the playing XI in all five Tests. He has also been dropped from the ongoing England tour, where India are trailing 1-2.