From “Panda” to “Macho”: Sarfaraz Khan Shares Pictures of His Insane Physical Transformation

Despite featuring in the two India 'A' practice matches against England 'Lions' last month, Sarfaraz Khan was not selected for the main squad.

From “Panda” to “Macho”: Sarfaraz Khan Shares Pictures of His Insane Physical Transformation

27-year-old Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan has transformed himself physically, shedding 17 kilos. (via Hindustan Times)

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Dropped from India’s red-ball squad for the England tour, Sarfaraz Khan seems to have dedicated the past few months to a significant physical transformation. The 27-year-old recently shared pictures of his weight-loss efforts, leaving social media abuzz after he lost 17 kilos.

Sarfaraz Khan‘s last Test appearance for India was in 2024, during the team’s humbling 3-0 series loss to New Zealand. In six Tests, Khan has accumulated 371 runs at an average of 37.10, hitting a century and three half-centuries. However, a string of poor performances in the latter part of the New Zealand series led him to being dropped from the team for subsequent tours to Australia and, most recently, England.

The talented middle-order batter might have missed a place in India’s squad for the England tour, but he has not lost hope of making a strong comeback. Sarfaraz Khan has turned the selection disappointment into redefining his physique, with his new look taking social media by storm. Recent pictures showcased his incredible 17-kilos weight loss, with fans praising his sheer determination and discipline in achieving this ‘insane’ change over the past few months.

Long criticized for his fitness and weight, Khan has finally tackled these issues head-on, revealing a significantly leaner physique. Previously, it was his weight, not his batting form, that held back his Test debut, making him a late bloomer despite consistent domestic performances. He has over 4,500 runs in 54 first-class matches, at an average of 65.61, hitting 16 hundreds and 14 fifties. 

Sarfaraz Khan has responded to his omission by undergoing a dramatic physical transformation. The 27-year-old batter had previously discussed his weight-loss journeys in a 2020 interview, noting that improved fitness made him feel better and positively impacted his run-scoring.

Following his recent physical transformation, Khan’s earlier comments to ESPNCricinfo, back in 2020, have resurfaced, including one where he mentioned teammates used to mock his poor eating habits by calling him ‘Panda’. Moreover, it is not the first time he has embarked on such a fitness journey, as his previous efforts also led to his teammates affectionately calling him ‘Macho’ instead of ‘Panda.’

I felt good not just about my improved fitness but because it helped me score runs. At one point, all my team-mates used to call me ‘panda’ because I used to eat a lot. Now, they’ve started calling me ‘macho’.

Furthermore, Sarfaraz Khan had in 2020, also credited Virat Kohli for influencing his fitness journey, recalling their conversation after he was dropped from RCB during the 2016 IPL season due to fitness issues.

He revealed how Kohli acknowledged his skills but emphasized that his poor fitness was preventing him from reaching the next level. Highlighting Sarfaraz’s dedication, his father Naushad Khan, most recently revealed that his son has adopted a strict diet, completely cutting out bread and rice.

I was dropped at RCB in 2016 because of my fitness. Virat Kohli told me straightaway while there were no doubts over my skills, my fitness was not letting me get to the next level. He was very honest with me.

Nonetheless, Sarfaraz Khan is hoping to return to the Indian red-ball side, for the next Test series against West Indies, in October later this year. Before that, he will be back in action for Mumbai in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, which also kicks off that same month.

Kevin Pietersen Hails Sarfaraz Khan’s ‘Outstanding’ Weight Loss, Urges Prithvi Shaw to Take Note

English cricket great Kevin Pietersen lauded Sarfaraz Khan for his ‘outstanding’ physical transformation and for losing 17 kilos, from his weight. Pietersen went further, urging out-of-favor Indian opener Prithvi Shaw to learn from Khan’s example.

Kevin Pietersen on Sarfaraz Khan Prithvi Shaw
Kevin Pietersen urged Prithvi Shaw to take note of Sarfaraz Khan’s recent physcial tranformation. (via Instagram)

While Sarfaraz Khan’s absence from India’s red-ball team is relatively recent, Prithvi Shaw hasn’t featured in an international match for over four years. Taking note of Khan’s physical transformation, former England batter Kevin Pietersen urged Shaw to follow the Mumbai star’s example, emphasizing that a strong mind can enable the former India U-19 captain to achieve a similar change.

Prithvi Shaw has faced scrutiny not just for his poor fitness but also for disciplinary issues, which even led to him being dropped from Mumbai’s squad last season. He recently made headlines by switching his domestic allegiance to Maharashtra, with hopes of reviving his struggling cricketing career.