Sarfaraz’s century propels Mumbai to 374 on Day 02

Bengaluru: In blazing form this season, Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan hit a superb century that kept his side ahead against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy final, being played in Bengaluru, on Thursday.
Courtesy Sarfaraz’s fourth hundred of the season 134 off 243 balls -- the 41-time champions managed a fighting 374 in their first innings after beginning the day at 248 for five. But Madhya Pradesh won’t be too unhappy as they finished the second day at 123 for one with Yash Dubey (44 not out) and Shubham Sharma (41 not out) adding 76 runs for the unbroken second wicket.

The day belonged to Sarfaraz, who has now scored an astounding 937 runs in Ranji Trophy in just six games and could make it 1,000 for the season if Mumbai bats again in this match. His innings had 13 boundaries and two huge sixes. But what stood out was how he managed the innings after Shams Mulani was trapped leg before by Gourav Yadav (4/106) in the opening over of the second day. 

The manner in which Sarfaraz has turned a corner since the 2019-20 season (928 runs back then) is phenomenal as he had disciplinary issues early in his career, which also forced him to leave Mumbai for a season. With father Naushad Khan, who also doubles up as his coach, making him play 400 balls (nearly 67 overs including nets and knocking) a day at practice, Sarfaraz 2.0 is a battle-hardened man, the khadoos street fighter that any captain would want to go to a war with.