“My ground fitness is up to the mark,” Sarfaraz Khan hits back at Sunil Gavaskar’s remark on his fitness

Mumbai based cricketer Sarfaraz Khan hits back at Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar after the latter made a comment on his fitness. Sarfaraz has been ignored by the national team despite top performances in the domestic circuit. Hence many feel that it is his fitness that does not allow him to make the cut.

Following the trend, Gavaskar also feels that Sarfaraz’s fitness might be a concern for the national team which has resulted in his exclusion. He went on to pass a few comments aswell.

However in an interaction with SportsYaari, the youngster has explained that he is completely fit and try to do his best. He shared how on one instance, he reached home at 2 in the night and had to reach the ground again by 5am.

“I just heard that a while ago (Gavaskar’s comment). I was busy playing the Ranji Trophy so I saw it in the morning itself all that he had to say. See fitness is obviously important, and I try my best. When our last Ranji Trophy match got over, I got back home at 2 am in the night and at 5 am was back on the ground,” Sarfaraz Khan replied to Gavaskar’s remark.

Sarfaraz was ignored for the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Even when Shreyas Iyer was doubtful, the team management decided to select Suryakumar Yadav instead of Sarfaraz.

The 25-year-old has smashed runs for fun in the last couple of years in the domestic circuit. In 37 first-class matches so far, he has smashed 3505 runs at an average of 79.65, with 13 hundreds and nine fifties.

He further added that his ground fitness is all upto the level. He shared that DC had held a 14-day fitness camp which he was a part of, giving example of how he takes fitness very seriously.

“So my ground fitness is up to the mark and when it comes to running and all, I try and get the most out of it during Ranji or IPL. DC recently conducted a fitness camp in Delhi for 14 days. Whatever we have in our hand, we do it,” he added.

Sarfaraz is currently focused on doing well for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought by DC for base price of Rs. 20 lakh at the mini auction.

Sarfaraz shared that he is willing to wait for his India call-up but he is more concerned about holding onto his form. He shares that sustaining this form will be crucial for him. He compared his Mumbai teammate, Suryakumar Yadav’s rise to the national team and fuels motivation from there.

“I am concentrating on the form that I am currently in, making sure I continue it for as long as possible. I’m doing this because when you lose your form, it doesn’t come back that easily. Often it happens that a player earns a late call-up. Take Suryakumar Yadav for example. He is a great friend; we keep talking to each other about skills. “So like he too got a late start, he is in good form. So I too don’t mind waiting a bit longer but key is to sustain this form,” he concluded.

In Rishabh Pant’s absence, Sarfaraz might be seen in a new role behind the stumps. While he has some experience of wicket-keeping, it will be a challenge for him to do it at this level, if it eventually happens.