Mumbai School of Batting is about playing in the ‘V’ in front of the wicket, a style made famous by the legendary Sunil Gavaskar; a majority of runs during Sarfaraz Khan’s 150 came behind the wicket
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar heaped praise on Sarfaraz Khan after his maiden Test hundred (150) helped India come out of the doldrums against New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Leading the applause for Sarfaraz was Manjrekar, who praised his style, uncommon for a cricketer from the Mumbai cricketing circles, typically known for their ‘khadoos’ batting.
“Love how Sarfaraz Khan is giving the finger to the ‘Mumbai school of batting’. Finally, it’s all about runs & boy he knows how to get those,” Manjrekar wrote on X.
The batting style Manjrekar was referring to is one that involves playing in the ‘V’ in front of the wicket and has been made famous since the heydays of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. Majority of Sarfaraz’s runs during his 150 against New Zealand were scored behind the wicket, unsurprising because the busy player is coached by his father Naushad Khan, who hails from Azamghar in Uttar Pradesh, and not by one of the famed maidan coaches of Mumbai
The 26-year-old has waited for a long time to receive his India cap. While he relished it with a couple of fifties in the home series against England earlier this year, Sarfaraz was out from the playing XI during last month’s Test series against Bangladesh
The Mumbaikar responded with a double hundred in the Irani Cup before replacing an injured Shubman Gill in the ongoing clash against the Kiwis. Putting a first-innings blob behind him with an innings replete of uncharacteristic shot-making comprising late cuts, upper-cuts and slog-sweeps, Sarfaraz reached his maiden Test ton in only 110 balls.
On Friday, Manjrekar had also likened Sarfaraz to a 2024 version of legendary Pakistan batter, Javed Miandad
The talking point has to be Sarfaraz Khan, because he reminds me of a Javed Miandad in the 1980s, but this is the 2024 version of a Javed Miandad. Really impressed with the way he played, we know that he plays spin well, but the way he played the fast bowlers, towards the end of the day’s play, when he was playing defensively, and he was wanting bad light when there was actually bright light,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo after Day 3’s play.
“I love the way that he was ducking into bouncers, and was trying to play the day out. He has that game as well, that augurs well for India and Sarfaraz Khan ahead of the series against Australia,” he added.
Leave feedback about this