Sarfraz Ahmed, it seems, is an advocate of this mantra and since he made an inauspicious Test debut against Australia at Hobart in 2010, there has been one constant in his batting average; improvement after every single Test.
After his incredible back-against-the-wall knock of 112 yesterday, Sarfraz now averages 44, a far cry from the three that he had after the Hobart Test.
Pakistan are marginally ahead in the Dubai Test after a gripping fourth day but merely half an hour into the day, the hosts were camped well and truly on the back foot.
When Zulfiqar Babar fished at a ball that should have been left alone to leave Sarfraz frustrated at the other end with a deficit of 91 runs and only wicket remaining, the prospect of conceding a large lead to the Black Caps loomed ominously over the hosts. The 27-year-old wicket-keeper had just reached his half-century and the prospect of making his third century in the last five Tests was surely a distant dream at that juncture.
But unlike Zulfiqar, Rahat Ali offered stoic resistance whenever he was called upon.
After seeing off some tight overs by the seamers and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, the introduction of off-spinner Mark Craig opened the floodgates for Sarfraz.
Suddenly, the sweeps, cuts and drives were on display in a scintillating passage of play that propelled Sarfraz from 71 in the 133rd over of the innings to 100 in the 138th.
For the third time in three months and six Tests, Sarfraz turned a game on its head with some audacious stroke play.
Pakistan eventually fell just 10 short of New Zealand’s first innings total of 403 and by the time Sarfraz hit the ball straight back to Brendon McCullum, the match was evenly poised. The spinning duo of Zulfiqar and Yasir Shah then seized the initiative in the final session of the day to give Pakistan hopes of a fourth successive Test win.
The match remains on a knife’s edge and Pakistan might yet need Sarfraz to give them impetus in their chase on the final day, especially if Ross Taylor and Mark Craig get stuck in. Besides improving his average in every game he has played, the plucky right-hander is yet to feature in a drawn Test. So if the trend continues, the final day is likely to provide another result in the midst of more enthralling moments.
After turning his fortunes around in Sri Lanka, Sarfraz has cemented his spot in the Test team. Three centuries in a year is an unprecedented turn for a Pakistan wicket-keeper, with each knock turning the match on its head at the crucial moment.
On the flip side, Sarfraz’s brilliant run with the bat has helped paper over his leaden-footed wicket-keeping performance in the ongoing Test series.
Twice in the two Tests, he has refused to lay a hand on catches that were within touching distance of his gloves and the reprieve for Craig in the first innings of this Test cost Pakistan crucial runs.
One hopes that in the days ahead, he steps up his game with the gloves too since with the bat in hand, he is currently Pakistan’s million-dollar man.
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