Every morning, around six, Sarfaraz Khan heads to Azad Maidan. It has been his routine for years. With a bat in hand and his father and coach Naushad Khan watching over him, the grind begins all over again.

On Monday, against Railways at the Brabourne Stadium, Sarfaraz was back doing what he knows best — fighting it out in the middle. After Mumbai lost three quick wickets, he dug in alongside Siddhesh Lad and battled his way to a half-century.

For someone who has piled up runs in domestic cricket, the wait for another opportunity in India colours has been frustrating. Sarfaraz has played six Tests, including a 150 against New Zealand in Bengaluru in 2024, but a regular place remains elusive.

“Every morning, when I wake up, I ask myself the same question: why should I work even harder? I have already played for India. But I still wake up at five in the morning and go through the same routine,” he said.

“The only person who has supported me is my father. Nobody else.”

“I worked hard and fulfilled my father’s dream. Playing for India is not easy, especially in this generation. And it is not as if I scored a few runs in one or two matches and made it to the Indian team. I scored 300s, 200s and 250s. I worked extremely hard to earn my place in the Indian team,” he added.

Sarfaraz has also shed 20kg, bringing his weight down from 97kg to 77kg, after taking feedback seriously.