Sarfaraz Khan kickstarted the brand new home season in authoritative style, smashing a good century (138 retd. damage, 114b, 10×4, 6×6) to energy Mumbai to a commanding 367 for 5 against TNCA XI on the opening day of the primary spherical of the All India Buchi Babu tournament match on the Gojan College floor right here on Monday.
Sarfaraz was at his aggressive finest, smashing an inexperienced bowling assault to all corners of the sector. Sarfaraz had made his Test debut final 12 months and was dropped from the Indian staff for the lately concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. He will want a good home season to combat his means again into nationwide reckoning.
The 27-year-old, who has lately shed greater than 10kgs in a bid to turn into fitter, walked in with Mumbai in a spot of trouble at 98 for 3 and took the sport away from TNCA XI.
Sarfaraz bought an early reprieve when he was dropped on 15 by M. Shahrukh Khan at first slip off left-arm spinner M. Siddharth and made the house staff rue the missed likelihood. He was extreme on Siddharth, utilizing the sweep shot to good impact to search out the boundaries, together with two sixes.
Once he crossed his half-century with a flick off pacer Prem Kumar, Sarfaraz stepped on the accelerator. He bought to his century, ramping pacer Lokesh Raj over slips for a boundary.
The batter additionally ran arduous between the wickets with seven braces and two threes. Once he crossed his landmark, Sarfaraz minimize free, lofting Lokesh down the bottom for consecutive sixes even whereas battling cramps earlier than strolling off.