Out of favor India batsman Sarfaraz Khan claims that the five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings had given him a “new life” after purchasing him at his base price of Rs 75 lakh during the minor players’ auction in Abu Dhabi.
The 28-year-old Sarfaraz went unsold in the first round but was eventually acquired by CSK after hitting a 22-ball 73 in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match just hours before the auction on Tuesday.
“Thank you so much, CSK for giving me new life. I will make sure CSK will lift the 2026 title,” the Mumbai batter wrote on his Instagram page.
The hard-hitting middle-order batsman last played in the Indian Premier League for the Delhi Capitals in 2023 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
In the two seasons that followed, he was unable to find buyers. Despite his excellent domestic performances, he has not been selected for the Indian squad in any format, therefore even his international career is currently in a disarray.
In previous IPL seasons, he has also represented the Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
In 2015, Sarfaraz made his IPL debut for RCB. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year, the right-hander has been in excellent form, scoring a century and amassing 329 runs at an average of 82.25 and a strike rate of 204.34.
Sarfaraz has scored 371 runs at an average of 37.10 and a strike rate of 74.94 while playing for India in six Test matches. His highest score was 150.
