Sarfaraz

Khan

Sarfaraz Khan Biography and Career

Sarfaraz Khan, often seen as an unlucky cricketer, is one of the most destructive Indian batsmen. Born in 1997, the right-hander exhibited exceptional cricketing talent from a young age. His father, Naushad Khan, who is also his coach, played a crucial role in shaping Sarfaraz’s, and his brother Musheer Khan's career. Sarfaraz first came into the limelight after a sensational knock in an inter school cricket tournament in Mumbai. 

In 2009, at only 12 years old, young Sarfaraz broke the Harris Shield record of Sachin Tendulkar by smashing 439 off 421 balls. It was also his Harris Shield debut. With that knock, the aggressive batsman, who is originally from Uttar Pradesh, made a name for himself in Mumbai's cricketing circles. 

Sarfaraz's road to the Indian Premier League and eventually the Indian Team began with his match-winning performances for the India U19 team. In 2013, he smacked a 66-ball 101 against South Africa Under 19s. At the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup, Sarfaraz finished with 211 runs in six games at an average of 70.33; including two fifties. His impressive performances continued at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, where the flamboyant batsman finished as the tournament's second highest run scorer with 355 runs from six innings.

Sarfaraz's Indian Premier League journey began in 2015 when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) welcomed him. He scored 111 runs at a strike rate of 156.33 in his debut IPL season, further establishing himself as one of the most fearless batsmen in Indian cricket. However, the next season, despite playing a few impressive cameos, Sarfaraz was dropped by RCB for his lack of fitness. More misery followed the next year when he was ruled out of the entire season due to an injury. After underperforming for RCB in IPL 2018, he was eventually released by the franchise and played for the Punjab Kings the next few seasons before being bought by the Delhi Capitals for IPL 2022. However, he did not receive many opportunities from the Capitals, and eventually went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction. 

Sarfaraz's journey has been marked with considerable setbacks, not just in the IPL but also in international cricket. For years, he was overlooked for a spot in the Indian national team despite consistently piling up runs in the Ranji Trophy. The national selectors often chose others over him, leading many to label him as "unlucky."

However, Sarfaraz's long-awaited moment came in 2024 when he received his first call-up to the Indian team for the home Test series against England. He made his debut in the third Test in Rajkot and made an impact with a fluent 62 off 66 balls before his innings ended in an unfortunate manner. A mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja led to him being run out at the non-striker's end, cutting short what could have been an even bigger contribution.

Sarfaraz continued to impress in the second innings of the same Test, this time with an unbeaten 68 off 72 balls. He has, since, played six Tests for India as of January 2025. 

Beyond cricket 

According to multiple reports, Sarfaraz Khan has a net worth of Rs 17 crore approximately. His major sources of income include his match fees for India and Mumbai Cricket, and his central contract with the BCCI which is valued at Rs 1 crore. 

In August 2023, Sarfaraz married Romana Zahoor in Pashpora village of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir. Romana holds a degree in business administration and met the cricketer through a common friend. 

Sarfaraz has a brother, Musheer Khan, also a professional cricketer. While Sarfaraz went unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, Musheer was snapped up by the Punjab Kings. 

Sarfaraz Khan Records 

Sarfaraz Khan Test records 

• Twin fifties on Test debut (2024) - fourth cricketer to score twin fifties on Test debut (against England in 2024)

• A duck and a 150-plus score in the same match (2024) - became the third Indian batsman after Madhav Apte and Nayan Mongia to score a duck and a 150-plus score in the same match.

Sarfaraz Khan World Cup records 

• Most fifties at the Under-19 World Cup - has the most fifties in U19 World Cups (7 fifties across two World Cups).

Sarfaraz Khan IPL records 

• Youngest player in the IPL (2015) - Once held the record for being the youngest player in the IPL at 17 years and 177 days.