Khan will travel to England for a month-long tour as part of the Dubai based G-Force Cricket Academy team.
Featuring alongside upcoming cricketers from the UAE, the 18-year-old is expected to play several matches and train at Epsom College in Surrey.
In last year’s edition of the event, the ‘Cricket Lovers’ tournament comprised of eight teams, with each being involved in as many as twenty matches.
The tournament which is being hosted in unfamiliar territory is bound to test Sarfaraz’s ability as a batsman and might serve as a good learning curve.
Sarfaraz will be accompanied to the UK by his younger brother, Musheer, a young left-arm spinner who is already creating waves in Mumbai cricketing circles.
Musheer had visited England last year for a similar initiative when he was offered a sponsorship deal by Shyam Bhatia’s Cricket for Care organisation and was a part of the G-Force Cricket Academy team.
Naushad Khan, the father and coach of the talented brothers, had then remarked on the importance of the trip in the cricketing career of his younger son.
“These exposure trips are very important. If you get them at such a young age, nothing can be better. Not only will they play matches but also get to learn a lot of things. They might also get to play at the Lord’s Cricket Ground and Musheer is very excited,” he had said.
Sarfaraz seems to be delighted with the opportunity to represent the Dubai academy side.
Speaking to Indian daily Mid-Day on Saturday, Sarfaraz said: “With the onset of the monsoon, it’s difficult to practice in Mumbai. This tour will help me gain some valuable practice.
“I am trying hard to match Virat [Kohli] sir’s expectations. [Shankar] Basu sir has given me a fitness and training schedule. I will work accordingly in England where I will try and reduce my fat levels, keep fit and become stronger.”
Unfit to take off! 'Fat' #SarfarazKhan to go to England for runs and fitness https://t.co/gq09B5dcMp #Cricket pic.twitter.com/c5wX4DUfP8
— mid-day Infomedia (@mid_day) July 3, 2016
Sarfaraz had started the IPL 9 season on a high after scoring a quick-fire 10-ball 35 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. But he subsequently lost his place in the team to lower-order batsman Sachin Baby as RCB skipper Virat Kohli felt that Sarfaraz needed to work more on his fitness.
Kohli had said: “Sarfaraz understands the areas in which he needs to work on as far as the fitness and fielding part is concerned. You can’t afford to have too many guys in the field who are not up to the mark with their fielding because the outfield here is lightning quick.
“I think Sachin in that aspect is very committed and he is fit and he works on those things. As a captain, I want to have a guy who gives 120 per cent on the field and saves a crucial five to six runs.”
Sarfaraz played in only five matches in this year’s IPL, which was a marked contrast from last year when he had shot to fame for his unconventional batting approach – his bravado earning the plaudits from RCB team-mates AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle.
Internationally, he starred for the India U-19 team in their 2014 and 2016 World Cup campaigns – scoring seven 50-plus scores – the most by any batsman in the tournament to date.
Having missed out on IPL 9, Sarfaraz seems to be determined to overcome his fitness issues. He had recently travelled to Chennai for a training and fitness camp organised by Shankar Basu, who is the strength and fitness trainer for the Bangalore and Indian side.
Sarfaraz will hope that his trip to England will rejuvenate his career and help him break into the Indian team in the near future.
This is his second trip to the UK – he had previously represented the Hull Cricket Club in the Yorkshire League as a promising 16-year-old.
