'I Scored 45 in 21 balls & He Bowed at Me': Sarfaraz Recalls Incident From IPL 2015, Dreaming to Share Dressing Room with Kohli

Sarfaraz Khan was summoned for the first Test against Bangladesh which begins Thursday in Chennai. The Mumbai batter made his international debut earlier this year against England but didn’t get the opportunity to share the dressing room with Virat Kohli, who withdrew from the series citing personal reasons.

Ahead of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, Sarfaraz Khan is excited to rub shoulders with the former India captain. Speaking to Jio Cinema, the 26-year-old praised Kohli saying that ‘his passion and spirit are unmatched’.

“His passion and spirit are unmatched. Whenever I saw him, even in the pre-match meetings, he’d take charge and tell everyone how many runs he’d score off a particular bowler and break that down for everyone,” Sarfaraz told JioCinema.

“To be gutsy enough to stand up and talk with such positivity in front of everyone and then deliver the next day is a very unique ability,” he added.

Sarfaraz, who was part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2015 to 2018 in the IPL, also recalled his first encounter with Kohli, revealing that he always wanted to share the Team India dressing room with the ace batter.

“I met him at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time. I had scored 45 runs in 21 balls here and he bowed at me. I had a lot of fun that day. It was a dream to share an Indian team dressing room with him it will come true in the future if I get the opportunity,” Sarfaraz said.

Back in IPL 2015, a 17-year-old Sarfaraz scored a cracking 21-ball 45 propel RCB to 200 for 7 against Rajasthan Royals. As soon as Sarfaraz wrapped up his unbeaten knock, then captain Kohli greeted him with a big smile and a lovely gesture.

Sarfaraz further said he picked up the value of having a routine and being self-aware by watching Kohli over the years at Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“He is clear about his game. He knows the work a player needs to keep doing and that criticism or praise shouldn’t affect your game. ‘This is my work, I have to do this in the morning, this in the afternoon, this in the evening, and sleep at a specific time.’ That’s what I have learned from him,” he said.