The period of February-March was nothing less than a dream for Sarfaraz Khan . One of the most beautiful stories in Indian cricket, Sarfaraz made his much-awaited debut for India and immediately scored an explosive 62. Sarfaraz looked set for a century before a run-out involving Ravindra Jadeja cut his innings short.
Still, he followed it with another solid knock of 68 not out in the second innings and 56 in the Dharamsala Test. That, however, remains his last competitive game of any sorts since – March 7, 2024. A gap of over five months isn't the most ideal for a cricketer in India, but Sarfaraz had his work cut out even while he was away from First-Class cricket.
The 26-year-old has been sweating out, and cut down on weight as he gears up for represent Mumbai in the Buchi Babu tournament. During the off-season, Sarfaraz went back to his native village in Uttar Pradesh and began his behind-the-scenes operation, one that has seen hit get leaner, fitter and a lot more agile. "There is nothing called off-season for me.
I would wake up by 4.15 am and by 4.30 am, I will start the day with long-distance running.
It was very helpful to improve my fitness because by the end of the month, I was able to run 5 km in 30-31 minutes," Sarfaraz told Indian Express. "It was my priority and we (his father Naushad and him) put a plan in place. So once I’m done with my running, I would hit the gym.
So the first half of the day was allotted for fitness and fielding drills. The batting part .