Sarfaraz Khan: Former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning hero Madan Lal lavished praise on young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan following their match-winning performances in the third Test against England in Rajkot.
Yashasvi scored a phenomenal unbeaten double-century, the second of his Test career, while Sarfaraz made fifties in first and second innings in his debut match which India won comfortably.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Madan Lal said, “This young generation is quite good, they have a lot of experience playing first class cricket, IPL cricket, they are not scared of hitting the ball. If you look at their batting style, they are much more positive.
“The way they play the shots, shows that they have a lot of confidence and that can only come when you play a lot of cricket. That’s the reason they are champions. The next generation is getting ready for India.
He further said that “Yashasvi has the class following his consistent performance and Sarfaraz needs to keep performing in the same manner as his journey has just begun”.
Asked if it will be tough to manage the squad for the selectors when KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer will be back? The former all-rounder said, “I think, it’s a good sign, like you talk about KL, Virat and Shreyas, they have done a lot better. And these new kids have just started.
“So, preference will be given to the established players. They have won a lot of games for the country, inside or outside. It’s a good thing we have a good pool of talent, and those who are on the border line, will have to fight for their place.”
Further enquiring about his thoughts on ‘Bazball’, he said, “That’s their (England) way of approaching the game. With this, they will win a few and they will lose a few. But that’s their style. Like their win in the first Test was amazing. But at the same time they have to be patient while playing on Indian wickets,” he added.