The roar of a relentless Sarfaraz Khan

New Delhi: There were still ten minutes left for play to resume post Lunch and Sarfaraz Khan, unbeaten on 12 off 42 balls, stood quietly near the ropes as his Mumbai teammates engaged in a little football gig.

There were chirps and laughter around but the 25-year-old, with hands nice and warm inside the lower pockets, stood expressionless like a rock.

He kept staring at the 22 yards from a fair distance till opponents Delhi walked down the pavilion staircase and jogged to the middle. Out came the umpires and in marched Sarfaraz.

The first session went the hosts’ way as they sent back the formidable Mumbai top-order consisting the likes of Prithvi Shaw, Arman Jaffer, and Ajinkya Rahane but the job was only half done as the run-machine was still out in the middle.

For most of the morning session, when there was plenty in the pitch for the seamers, the right-hander continued to play late and leave early.

There was not a moment during that period, which saw his teammates fall one after another, where he looked in trouble. Precise footwork, no rash shots, and played very close to the body.

Those first few balls he wasn’t looking to win the battle anyway. He was just warming up, taking stock of conditions, assessing every bowler, and waiting to satisfy his appetite for runs post Lunch.

Bright sunshine covered the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the second session and before the home side could find their morning zip, Sarfaraz was on top of them.

Like a boss, he accumulated runs with ease and didn’t allow spinners to settle down. The odd one did grip but the right-hander stuck to his plan and piled on runs with the lower order. The manner in which he read conditions, adapted, and then dominated was a very seasoned approach. The mountain of runs he has scored in the last three domestic seasons is a testament to the same.

The roar

If the first half of his innings was watchful, the second was an absolute breeze, barring that stumping opportunity when he was batting on 84. He picked the spots with ease and in no time came close to another hundred.

Hundred and counting!