India vs England : No matter how talented you are, if you are born in a country with over 1.4 billion people, you will have to wait for your turn; if it ever comes. Fortunately for Sarfaraz Khan, his lengthy wait has come to an end, and now is his turn to shine. On an emotional morning in Rajkot, India, all eyes were on Naushad Khan as he witnessed his eldest son put on the customary Indian Test cricket whites for the first time.
Years of hard effort, commitment, and sacrifice paid off on February 15, 2024, when Sarfaraz Khan made his debut with the men in blue, accompanied by his family. The moment got even more memorable when he received his cherished Test cap from the legendary Anil Kumble.
Khan, who grew up on Mumbai’s streets, made news 14 years ago when he smashed the record for the greatest score in the Harris Shield, an inter-school championship. In the process, he passed Sachin Tendulkar, widely regarded as the ‘God of Cricket’. Since then, the youngster hasn’t looked back.
While he has represented India in two ICC U-19 World Cups (in 2014 and 2016), the opportunity to play for the national team at the senior level is every cricketer’s goal. Khan took full advantage of the opportunity, scoring 62 runs on his debut before being run out in the most awful manner. However, both fans and pundits praised his performance.
However, the youngster’s success story is incomplete without mentioning his father. So, on that point, here’s all you need to know about Sarfaraz’s father, Naushad Khan, including his background, profession, and more.
What does Naushad Khan do?
Sarfaraz Khan’s father, Naushad Khan, was born in 1971 and used to play cricket for the Mumbai side in India’s domestic cricket circuit. He was a left-handed middle-order batsman who also bowled slow left-handed orthodox spin. However, he never achieved considerable success as a player.
After retiring as a player, Khan took on the role of teaching new cricketers. Mumbai is well-known for its school and club cricket culture, and there are various cricket coaching facilities around the city, with Azad Maidan being one of the most prominent. Khan chose this location to train youths.
Remember Iqbal Abdulla, the ‘Rising Star’ of IPL 2011? Khan nurtured numerous players, including the former Kolkata Knight Riders player. Former IPL player Kamran Khan, who bowled the tournament’s inaugural Super Over alongside Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis, was also tutored by Naushad Khan in his early days.
A look at Naushad Khan’s children
Naushad Khan has two sons, Sarfaraz and Musheer Khan. In recent years, the eldest son has played an important role in India’s domestic cricket scene. He also has the most half-centuries in U-19 Cricket World Cups, with seven in two seasons.
Sarfaraz Khan has played over 40 first-class matches for Mumbai, scoring over 3,600 runs. He has 14 centuries to his name, with his highest score of 301 not out. Khan made his international cricket debut against England on February 15, 2024, in Rajkot.
On the other hand, Musheer Khan is still in his adolescence. Like his father, the child is an all-rounder with a slow left-arm orthodox spin bowling movement. He made his debut for India at the ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup 2024. Khan became the only player, after Shikhar Dhawan, to score two or more century in the U-19 World Cup, finishing with 360 runs from seven matches.
Naushad Khan is more than simply a father to Sarfaraz and his brother Musheer Khan; he is also their coach. Sarfaraz Khan began cricket training under his supervision at a young age.
How did Naushad Khan react to his son’s debut for India?
Seeing his eldest son wear the Indian shirt was an emotional experience for Naushad Khan. The ecstatic father and his wife were in Rajkot to watch Sarfaraz Khan make his national team debut. Sarfaraz Khan ran to his parents and hugged them after earning his Test cap from Anil Kumble. A teary Naushad Khan also begged Indian captain Rohit Sharma to look after his son.
However, none of these profound expressions of emotion would have occurred in Rajkot without Suryakumar Yadav’s miraculous intervention. Prior to the Test match between India and England, Yadav contacted Khan and urged him to be there at the stadium as his son took the pitch for the first time in Indian colours.
“I do understand your emotions. But trust me, when I made my Test debut and was receiving my Test cap, my father and mother were just behind,” Yadav said in his message. “And that moment was something beyond special. These moments don’t come too often. So I would suggest that you must go.”
Naushad Khan was considering his participation on the pitch during Sarfaraz Khan’s debut, fearing that the child would feel more pressure with his father around. But Yadav’s message compelled him to set everything aside and visit the stadium.
Is Naushad Khan a commentator?
It was a day of debuts for the Khans. While Sarfaraz Khan made his debut for the Indian cricket team, his father made his debut as a commentator.
However, Naushad Khan is not a naturalised pundit. He joined former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra in the box following a special invitation from the latter.
When Chopra questioned Khan if he felt his kid had to wait too long to make his debut, the delighted father responded poetically. “Give the night its due time to pass; the sun will rise in its own time,” he added.
Also Read: India vs England: Sarfaraz Khan Reveals Ravindra Jadeja’s Message about Run Out
