Hard Work, Patience, Persistence | Story of a Dream Comeback:
2019 was the year, Johannesburg the place and South Africa the opposition – this was the setting which saw Sarfaraz playing his last Test match, after which everything started going downhill for the wicket-keeper batter. First came a controversy which got him suspended for 4 matches followed by him getting sacked as the Test and T20 captain. To top this episode of disappointment, a drop in his form got the Karachi-born under the radar of criticism. The controversy died out and Pakistan got new captains to replace Sarfaraz. However, the rough patch with the bat and gloves for the right-handed batter did not end which became the reason for him getting out of the Test team. In 2020, Sarfaraz was called back again in the Test side but was made to warm the benches throughout the series. In presence of Mohammad Rizwan, a wicket-keeper batter with incredible skills behind the stumps as well as decent figures with the bat, it was difficult for the Karachi-based player to make it to the playing XI in the Tests and so Sarfaraz calmly agreed to sit in the sidelines for another couple of years.
Kaptan, as they call him, decided to earn his place back by overcoming his flaws that became the reason for his ousting from the team. His first-class outings helped him return to his form and after a long wait of nearly 4 years and several decent domestic performances, the wicket-keeper batter made his way back to the team.
The setting which saw him return to his arena was more special to him as his comeback match was played in front of his home crowd, the crowd which was chanting ‘Saifi Bhai, Saifi Bhai’ at the top of its voice as the 35 year old made his way to the ground to bat against New Zealand in the first Test, just a week before I type this. His bat spat fire as he went on to score 86 runs in the first innings after his return. Unfortunately missing out on his century by 14 runs, the man with nerves of steel did not lose hope and scored 52 in the next innings.
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By the time the second Test match started, everyone was anxiously waiting for a century by Sarfaraz but he was again denied triple digits as a controversial stumping decision saw him taking the long walk back to the pavilion after scoring 78 runs. The 4th and final innings of Pakistan’s Tests this season began and Babar’s men were in need of a knock which could save the match. No prizes for guessing who came to rescue the side after captain Babar fell. It was Sarfaraz who, striking at a decent rate, shifted the pressure back to the visitors and finally was paid off after he successfully converted his double digits to his century. The stands erupted with chants for the lone warrior. The balcony was filled with his team mates who were applauding him for the brilliant knock. Somewhere his teary-eyed wife was seen clapping for him. Amidst everything, Sarfaraz raised his bat to let that moment sink in. The moment he waited so long for.
The series ended, although in a stalemate, Sarfaraz’s return will forever remain the highlight of it. With an average of 83.75 in this series, no one looked more appropriate for being awarded the man of the series award than him, whose renaissance saved Pakistan from a miserable defeat.
