Sarfaraz Khan will give migraines to Australia bowlers: Sanjay ...

Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Sarfaraz Khan's stellar 150-run knock during India's first Test against New Zealand, emphasizing that the young batter's performance shows why he could be pivotal in India's upcoming tour of Australia, especially against their strong pace attack.

Sarfaraz Khan scored in maiden Test century in Bengaluru. (Photo: AP)

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Sarfaraz Khan's performance in India's first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru highlights why the young batter could be crucial for India's upcoming tour of Australia. Sarfaraz turned in a game-changing performance with his maiden Test century, eventually reaching 150 on Day 4.

In an interaction with ESPN Cricinfo, Manjrekar explained that Sarfaraz's impressive 150-run knock demonstrated his superb batting skills on a tricky pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where play was frequently interrupted by rain. Manjrekar added that the conditions in Australia could be quite similar, and Sarfaraz’s adaptability and technique make him a key player for India, especially against a formidable pace attack that includes the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.

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"Very happy to see the way he plays fast bowlers, and he has played fast bowlers before as well against England. This was a pitch very similar to the foreign pitches that we get, where there is a bit of pace and bounce. Interestingly, I am imagining him on a flatter pitch in Australia, where there isn't a lot of seam movement," Manjrekar said

"He is going to give migraines to those Australian bowlers because of the shots that he plays. There is certainity, there is calmness and if you see the close up of Sarfaraz, he watches the ball always on to his bat. He has a tremendous hand-eye coordination. His technique isn't bad for Australia. I will be very excited to see how he goes, and he is a definite candidate, and he should walk into the India playing XI against Australia," Majrekar added.

India faced concerns after losing the in-form Virat Kohli for 70 on the very last ball of Day 3. With the match still in the balance, Sarfaraz, alongside Rishabh Pant, stabilized the innings on Day 4. The pair's crucial partnership helped India post a strong second-innings total of 462 runs, putting the team in a commanding position. While Sarfaraz recorded his maiden Test century, finishing with 150, Pant narrowly missed out on his own century, falling for 99.

Their partnership laid the foundation for India, setting New Zealand a challenging target of 107 runs to win the Test. However, after tea, India suffered a late collapse, losing four wickets—Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj—in quick succession. Despite this stumble, India’s innings ended after 99.3 overs, leaving New Zealand with a daunting task on the final day. Sarfaraz's performance, according to Manjrekar, proved his potential to shine in tougher conditions abroad.