Sarfaraz Khan says only his father supported him as he hits half-century for Mumbai

Sarfaraz Khan scored a gritty half-century for Mumbai against Railways at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday. He said, "The only person who has supported me is my father. Nobody else."

Every morning, around six, Sarfaraz Khan heads to Azad Maidan with a bat in hand; his father and coach Naushad Khan watch him, and the routine has continued for years as "the grind begins all over again." He has piled up runs in domestic cricket, and the wait for another opportunity in India colours has been frustrating. Sarfaraz has played six Tests, including a 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru in 2024, but a regular place in the India side remains elusive.

On Monday at the Brabourne Stadium, after Mumbai lost three quick wickets, Sarfaraz dug in alongside Siddhesh Lad and battled his way to a half-century. He returned to the middle to steady the innings following that early collapse. A photograph accompanying the report was credited to EMMANUAL YOGINI.

"Every morning, when I wake up, I ask myself the same question: why should I work even harder? I have already played for India. But I still wake up at five in the morning and go through the same routine," he said.

"I worked hard and fulfilled my father’s dream. Playing for India is not easy, especially in this generation. And it is not as if I scored a few runs in one or two matches and made it to the Indian team. I scored 300s, 200s and 250s. I worked extremely hard to earn my place in the Indian team," he added.

Sarfaraz has also shed 20kg, bringing his weight down from 97kg to 77kg after taking feedback seriously. The article was published on November 02, 2026 08:42 pm IST and updated on November 02, 2026 09:04 pm IST; the update listed the location as MUMBAI.