3 min readUpdated: Apr 4, 2026 04:39 PM IST
Sarfaraz Khan’s journey to playing for India has long been intertwined with the relentless efforts of his father, Naushad Khan. From regular practice sessions in the Mumbai maidaans to guiding him and his brother Musheer through the domestic cricket grind, Naushad has always been the driving force behind their rise, emphasising discipline and persistence over everything else.
That bond was again on display ahead of the CSK vs PBKS clash in Chennai on Friday, where a video of the 28-year-old gifting a Chennai Super Kings jersey to his father, with the latter’s name and the number ‘97’, did the rounds on the social media platform X.
Naushad, beaming with pride, was seen wearing the jersey while also sporting a Punjab Kings cap in support of Musheer, capturing a rare moment of split loyalties within the same family.
“Welcome to Chennai, Dad. CSK have made a T-shirt for you with your name and the number ‘97’ written on it. 97 is your favourite number because your name translates to 97 when read in Hindi,” Sarfaraz could be heard telling in the video.
Proud dad, proudest moment! ✨
Go well, Sarfaraz! 💛 #WhistlePodu #CSKvPBKS pic.twitter.com/SCrIWwb7vM— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 3, 2026
After receiving the jersey, Naushad was seen wearing the CSK jersey while showing the PBKS cap and stating that he had the best interests of both teams at heart. Sarfaraz jumped in to say that, as he was the elder son, his father wished for CSK to do better than PBKS.
In 2024, a visibly emotional Naushad saw Sarfaraz receive his Test cap from Anil Kumble before the start of the third Test against England at Rajkot and make his debut for India in the longest format. The right-hander made 62 and 68 not out in both innings as India won by 434 runs to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
Sarfaraz was acquired by CSK for his base price of Rs 75 lakh at the mini auction last December. He made 32 off 12 balls in the match on Friday, which propelled CSK to 209/5 in their 20 overs.
