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Sarfaraz Khan scripted history and earned widespread acclaim with a stunning century on Day 4 of the first Test at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. After enduring a disappointing start with a duck in India’s poor first innings total of 46, Sarfaraz turned the match around with a remarkable knock in the second innings, marking his maiden century in Test cricket.
Sarfaraz Khan leads India’s comeback with a brilliant knock
Coming to the crease after the early dismissal of Rohit Sharma on Day 3, Sarfaraz displayed a positive and aggressive approach, forming a vital century-plus partnership with Virat Kohli. The duo’s stand was a turning point for India, as they looked to recover from a difficult position. While Kohli was dismissed on the last ball of the day, Sarfaraz continued his vigil into Day 4, anchoring India’s innings with a blend of solid defense and aggressive strokeplay. His ability to clear the ropes, combined with his patience and focus, was on full display as he guided India to a stronger position, reaching the much-anticipated milestone of his maiden Test hundred.
A rare feat in Test cricket
Sarfaraz’s achievement of scoring a duck and a century in the same match is a rare feat in Test cricket. It marked the 22nd instance of such a performance in the history of the longest format, and only the ninth time an Indian player has accomplished this. The most recent instance before Sarfaraz’s remarkable innings was achieved by Shubman Gill against Bangladesh in Chennai last month, further highlighting how challenging it is for a player to bounce back from a poor first innings and excel in the second.
Sarfaraz’s innings is being hailed as a testament to his mental resilience, ability to learn from mistakes, and skill to adapt to challenging conditions. Despite his initial setback, he came out with a positive intent, showcasing both his technique and temperament against a quality bowling attack.
Also READ: IND vs NZ: Fans go crazy as Sarfaraz Khan hits his maiden hundred on Day 4 of the Bengaluru Test
Indian Players with duck and century in the same Test match
Several Indian cricket legends have achieved this rare feat, and Sarfaraz Khan’s name now joins this distinguished list. Here is a look at the Indian players who have scored a duck in the first innings and bounced back with a century in the second innings:
- Madhav Apte – 0 and 163 (Vs West Indies, 1953)
- Sunil Gavaskar – 0 and 118 (vs Australia, 1977)
- Dilip Vengsarkar – 0 and 103 (vs England, 1979)
- Mohammad Azharuddin – 0 and 109 (vs Pakistan, 1989)
- Sachin Tendulkar – 0 and 136 (Vs Pakistan, 1999)
- Shikhar Dhawan – 0 and 114 (Vs New Zealand, 2014)
- Virat Kohli – 0 and 104 (vs Sri Lanka, 2017)
- Shubman Gill – 0 and 119 (vs Bangladesh, 2024)
- Sarfaraz Khan – 0 and 125* (vs New Zealand, 2024)
