Mumbai’s domestic cricket sensation Sarfaraz Khan is all set to make a fresh bid for success in international cricket. But this time around, he is a lot leaner and greener.
According to a report by India Today, the 27-year-old right-hander has lost a remarkable 10kg in less than two months, thanks to a punishing diet plan and an even stricter training routine, all in a bid to be match-fit for the upcoming Test series in England.
Despite being one of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit, Sarfaraz’s journey with the Indian Test team has been patchy.
He made his debut in 2024 against England but is yet to play his first Test overseas.
A sparkling 150-run knock against New Zealand in Bengaluru showcased his undeniable talent, but he was benched during the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
Now part of the India A squad for two matches against England Lions, Sarfaraz is leaving no stone unturned — or, should we say, no rice grain touched — in his quest for redemption.
The Mumbai-born batter has been sweating it out with double practice sessions, focusing particularly on his discipline outside the off-stump — a crucial area in England’s swinging conditions.
But the real headline-grabber? Sarfaraz’s revamped diet.
Gone are the days of devouring biryani — yes, he’s given up his beloved chicken and mutton biryani — and in are boiled veggies, grilled chicken and lots of salad.
“We have controlled our diet a lot. We have stopped eating roti, rice, etc. We haven’t eaten roti or rice at home for 1 to 1.5 months,” revealed his father, Naushad Khan, quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
“We eat broccoli, carrot, cucumber, salad and green vegetable salad. Along with that, we eat grilled fish, grilled chicken, boiled chicken, boiled egg, etc. We are also having green tea and green coffee,” he added.
The fitness drive appears to be a family affair. Naushad, a guiding force behind Sarfaraz’s cricketing journey, has dropped 12kg himself after being advised by his doctor due to a knee issue. “The doctor told me that I have to do a knee replacement. So, I told him that I had to delay it. He told me that I have to reduce my weight for that,” he added.
The father-son duo now begins their day at 5:30 am, heading to Mumbai’s Cross Maidan for red-ball batting drills after a round of fielding and running.
Post-breakfast and rest, it's time for another round — this time at their home’s artificial turf. “We play 300 to 500 swing balls on that,” Naushad said.
The evenings are reserved for gym and swimming sessions at BKC, unless Sarfaraz chooses to log in another batting round.
The batter, who has faced his fair share of criticism over fitness — even prompting former India captain Sunil Gavaskar to come to his defense — is clearly on a mission. His goal? To let the bat do the talking.
In six Test appearances so far, Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10, with one century and three half-centuries to his name.
The India A squad also sees the return of right-handed batter Karun Nair, who has been included in the team led by Abhimanyu Easwaran for the upcoming tour of England.
India A will face England Lions in two games — from May 30 to June 2 in Canterbury and June 6 to 9 in Northampton — followed by an intra-squad match against the senior India Test squad in Beckenham from June 13 to 16.
As Sarfaraz prepares to take guard once again, this time overseas and with less weight on his shoulders (literally), fans and selectors alike will be watching closely.
