Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant started the day confidently for Team India in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Team India is still way behind in the first Test of the three-match series and will be hoping for a spirited fightback to have a chance of an unlikely victory. Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant’s rearguard action was almost aborted in the 56th over when a terrible mix-up in the middle resulted in a run-out.

On the first ball of the 56th over, Sarfaraz Khan cut the ball way back, outside the bowling of Matt Henry. However, there was a huge mix-up in the middle and Rishabh Pant narrowly escaped a run-out. The left-handed batsman made a late start for the first run but Tom Blundell somehow failed to take the bails off even as Pant was guilty of ball watching.

On the non-striker’s side, Sarfaraz Khan could be seen shouting, gesticulating and even jumping to stop Rishabh Pant, but the latter fell halfway up the pitch in the second over. Sarfaraz Khan also lost his temper in the face of the experienced wicketkeeper.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri, who was a commentator at the time, said that Sarfaraz Khan almost did a “rain dance” in the non-striker’s side.

Sarfaraz Khan scores his first ton in Test cricket

Right-handed batsman Sarfaraz Khan presented his first century in Tests on the current fourth day. Sarfaraz recorded his maiden century off the bowling of Tim Southee in the 57th over.

On the third ball of the 57th over, Sarfaraz Khan opted to strike forward well outside cover and the ball raced towards the boundary. As the ball left the infield, Sarfaraz Khan celebrated wildly. He took off his helmet and showed his bat to the locker room.

The right-handed batsman, who is only four Test matches old in international cricket, has now set off major alarm bells for KL Rahul, who scored a duck in the first innings.

Back to the ongoing game, Team India is hoping for an unlikely win. New Zealand gained a 356-run lead after defeating the hosts by just 46 runs in the first innings.

Sarfaraz Khan registered disappointment in the first innings but he made amends in the second innings. On the third day, Sarfaraz Khan had formed a 100-run stand with outsider Virat Kohli.

In the ongoing second innings, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also recorded half-centuries.