Sarfaraz, the biggest surprise in IPL retentions Photogallery

About this Gallery

Batsman Sarfaraz Khan gets unexpected IPL lifeline, as Royal Challengers Bangalore retain him.

01 / 10

Sarfaraz, the biggest surprise in IPL retentions

The biggest surprise packet of the IPL retentions was young batsman Sarfaraz Khan, who the RCB chose to retain, apart from Kohli and AB de Villiers, over big guns, West Indian Master Blaster Chris Gayle and India leggie Yuzuvendra Chahal. (BCCL/Santosh Bane)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

02 / 10

After making an impressive debut in the 2015 IPL (111 runs in 13 matches@ 27.75, strike rate: 156. 33 while batting lower down the order) for the RCB as the then youngest player to debut in the IPL (he was 17), Sarfaraz was dropped midway into the team's campaign last year, with Kohli openly saying that the youngster needed to improve on his fitness. (BCCL/Chethan Shivakumar)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

03 / 10

he 20-year-old's woes increased when he injured his knee in a practice game prior to the 2017 IPL, which forced him to miss the entire domestic season after undergoing an operation. (BCCL/Syed Asif)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

04 / 10

However, after regaining his fitness and returning to action, Sarfaraz showed off his class when the talented batsman cracked 132 (off 93 balls) and 70 (in 67 balls) against India Under-19 while batting for the National Cricket Academy in two practice games in Bangalore last month. (BCCL/Chethan Shivakumar)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

05 / 10

The young turk's continuation in the RCB line-up is clearly a vote of confidence imposed in him by Kohli. (BCCL/Santosh Bane)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

06 / 10

"Sarfaraz is one of the players we believe will rise to great heights, not just in theIPLbut in world cricket." said RCB CEO Amrit Thomas. (BCCL/Syed Asif)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

07 / 10

"We believe that together, Virat, AB de Villiers and Sarfaraz embody the 'play bold and fearless' outlook that is inherent in RCB," Amrit added. (BCCL/Chethan Shivakumar)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

08 / 10

The RCB seemed to have burned a hole in their pocket when they spent Rs. 28 crores on Kohli and De Villiers , but may have saved up some money for the IPL auction later this month in Bangalore with Sarfaraz's retention costing them not more than Rs.3 crores. (BCCL/Santosh Bane)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

09 / 10

Sarfaraz will actually be paid Rs. 1.75 crores, but the RCB will have Rs. 3 crores cut from their auction purse because of the rule that the price which is higher will be determined to cut a team's auction purse. (BCCL/Chethan Shivakumar)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL

10 / 10

Returning to the IPL after a two year ban, CSK retained thecore of their team when they got back Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja. (BCCL/Chethan Shivakumar)

See more of : Sarfaraz Khan, RCB, IPL