Sarfaraz Khan’s impressive form since his Test debut continued on Friday as he notched up his third half-century in just five innings. After consistent performances in domestic cricket, Sarfaraz finally made his Test debut in Rajkot, where he showcased his batting prowess by scoring half-centuries in both innings. In the ongoing fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, Sarfaraz played a brisk knock of 56 runs off 60 balls, laced with eight fours and one six.
However, just as it seemed Sarfaraz was set for a substantial score, he fell victim to Shoaib Bashir’s bowling on the first ball after tea. His attempt at a late cut resulted in an edge, and Joe Root took a sharp catch at slips. Before his dismissal, Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal had formed a solid partnership, contributing to a 95-plus run stand. Following Sarfaraz’s departure, India faced a flurry of quick wickets.
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Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar expressed his dissatisfaction with Sarfaraz Khan’s shot selection during the commentary, criticizing his decision to play an aggressive shot right after the tea break.
Meanwhile, England staged a comeback in the final session of the day with a disciplined bowling performance. Despite India’s lower order putting up a resilient fight, the visitors managed to keep the hosts in check at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. India concluded the day’s play with a total of 473/8 on the board, holding a lead of 255 runs, with Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah remaining unbeaten with scores of 27 (55) and 19 (55) respectively.
Shoaib Bashir boosted England’s morale by dismissing well-set Sarfaraz Khan for 56 runs in the first over after tea with his off-spin.
On the other hand, Devdutt Padikkal celebrated his maiden Test fifty with a six and received applause from both the dressing room and the crowd. However, his innings were cut short by Bashir, who managed to extract extra bounce and spin to dismiss him for 65 runs.
Subsequently, Dhruv Jurel joined Ravindra Jadeja in an attempt to stabilize the innings, but England struck again as Jurel departed for 15 runs. India then suffered quick setbacks as they lost both Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in quick succession.
Despite the setbacks, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah displayed resilience, forging an unbeaten 45-run partnership to frustrate England’s bowlers and further extend India’s lead.
