NEW DELHI: Sarfaraz Khan’s purple patch across formats is fuelling his ambition to play alongside MS Dhoni at Chennai Super Kings. But somewhere between losing confidence and rediscovering his mojo, he says he has also learnt the value of living in the present.

Sarfaraz didn’t get much time to prove himself in Tests, and even though opportunities seem limited for now, he believes it’s important to focus on what he can control.

“I try to stay in the present. I can't do anything about the past. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow,” Sarfaraz told media here on Wednesday.

Hard work pays off

Back in domestic cricket, where he had once dominated, Sarfaraz went through a lean patch when the familiar big scores in red-ball cricket disappeared.

However, he stuck around, worked on his fitness and refined his game, eventually finding form again — not just in red-ball cricket but in white-ball formats as well.

In his last outing, Sarfaraz crossed the milestone of 5,000 First-Class runs while hitting his fifth double century in the Ranji Trophy clash against Hyderabad.

“All I know is that I'm going to go home. I’m going to bat at home. I'm going to spend time with my father. I'm going to sleep at the hotel and play the match tomorrow,” he said during Mumbai’s training session ahead of their Ranji tie against Delhi.

“I don't think about the future. All I know is that I'm going to do what I've been doing for years. I'm going to practice and I'm going to improve,” he added.

Chasing dreams and mentoring the next generation

The 28-year-old considers himself “very lucky” to have been picked by CSK, where he will share the dressing room with the legendary Dhoni.

“I consider myself very lucky. I never thought I'd play for CSK. My dream was to play with the legends of this generation,” he said.

“… Like Virat bhai, I played with him in RCB. I had never played with Rohit bhai and never thought I'd get a chance. But then I played with him in the Test team.”

“And then I never thought I'd play with Mahi bhai after he left the Indian team. But after going unsold in the auction, CSK picked me. I consider myself very lucky,” Sarfaraz added.

Looking ahead, he wants to focus on white-ball cricket for India.

“I'm just focusing on my hard work, batting freely, and on power hitting. I'm not thinking about anything else. I want to play for India in white-ball cricket and I am paying attention to that,” he said.

Sarfaraz has been sharing the Mumbai dressing room with his younger brother Musheer, who is developing as an all-rounder. Sarfaraz underlined the importance of having multiple skills.

“I'm also working with Musheer on his bowling and batting. One day, Musheer is going to be the captain of the Indian team,” he said.

While losing considerable weight since leaving the Indian dressing room, Sarfaraz noted the challenges Indian cricketers face in fitness and recovery work at Bengaluru’s NCA.

“In NCA, it's very tough. You're alone there. The travelling is also long. It's a 40-45 minute journey from the city to the airport,” he said.

(With PTI Inputs)