Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Mumbai batter Sarfaraz eager to find his mojo against Pondicherry
After being axed from the Indian Test team, Sarfaraz Khan would have hoped to silence his critics by piling on runs in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. However, things haven’t quite gone as expected for the batter as he could score just 111 runs in six innings.
However, as Mumbai takes on Pondicherry at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, Sarfaraz hopes to find his mojo. “There’s no frustration. If you look at my records, I have scored consistently for four back-to-back seasons. Players often have only one good season, but I have done it for four to five years in a row,” Sarfaraz said on the eve of the game.
On a couple of occasions, Sarfaraz failed to capitalise on a steady start, but he isn’t dwelling on the past. “You can’t score runs in every match. The last four seasons went so well, but there are times when you lose your wicket despite playing well. But players then come back and score again. For us, players have scored runs and have got wickets, and the target is to win the Ranji Trophy,” Sarfaraz said.
Despite a forgettable outing so far, Sarfaraz hasn’t made any technical changes to his batting, and the team has backed him. While the coaches have been supportive, captain Shardul Thakur has boosted his morale.
“We have an excellent captain in Shardul bhai, who has done a great job. I wasn’t playing domestic cricket for the last two years due to India commitments, but the way he is handling the team is great. Coach Omkar Salvi and Atul (Ranade) sir have ensured that we are always together, and even when we are in Mumbai, we stay in the same hotel so that our unity improves. I am glad that we have such a captain in Shardul bhai after a long time; he is someone who puts the team first,” Sarfaraz said.
“I have played under so many captains, but the best thing about Shardul bhai is that he puts the team’s interest first instead of thinking about personal milestones. If you have played for India, you often think of playing more and make the most of the opportunity.
“But with him, that’s not the case. If he sees that the wicket is not suitable for the fast bowlers, he has even restricted himself to two overs, which indicates that he is only thinking about winning the Ranji Trophy,” Sarfaraz said, adding that it is fun to play under such a captain.
Published on Nov 15, 2025
