"Sher bhukha hai" - Suryakumar Yadav reacts to Sarfaraz Khan's blistering half-century on Day 2 of IND vs ENG 5th Test

Sarfaraz Khan has hit three half-centuries in five innings.

Team India's white-ball star Suryakumar Yadav was mighty impressed by middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan's batting exploits on Day 2 of the ongoing Dharamsala Test against England.

Khan notched up a brilliant half-century, his third in five innings. The talented youngster has made the most of his chances in his debut Test series, making a strong case for himself for upcoming matches. He scored 56 runs off just 60 balls in India's first innings.

Suryakumar Yadav, who has shared the dressing room with Sarfaraz for Mumbai in domestic cricket, posted a special Instagram story after the 26-year-old crossed the 50-run mark.

He wrote:

"🐅 bhukha hai (The tiger is hungry)."

Sarfaraz Khan made a significant impact with the bat right from his debut Test in Rajkot, registering scores of 62 and 68*. While he scored just 14 runs across two innings in the subsequent fixture, he has made amends with another stunning fifty.

Sarfaraz Khan was dismissed on the very first ball after Tea on Day 2

Sarfaraz Khan walked out to bat at No. 5 when India were 279/3. He took a measured approach towards the start of his innings but took the English bowlers to the cleaners once he was set.

His 97-run stand with debutant Devdutt Padikkal helped the Men in Blue gain a commanding position in the contest. Sarfaraz's promising knock came to a premature end as he was dismissed on the very first ball after Tea.

The dynamic batter perished to off-spinner Shoaib Bashir while trying to play a late cut. However, he couldn't get the placement right and was ultimately caught by Joe Root in the slips.

Sarfaraz has been in wonderful form in the ongoing Test series against England, mustering 200 runs across five innings at an average of 50. He has received widespread praise for showing positive intent and scoring at a strike rate of 79.36.