Javed Khan strikes for Mumbai A vs England hours after father's loss

At approximately the time Jonathan Trott edged one to the keeper to give Javed Khan what should have been a moment to celebrate, Mohammad Jayish Khan, Javed's father, was being lowered into his grave in Mumbra. Jayish, who had undergone an open-heart surgery on Friday night, did not live through the night, but Javed, on the advice of well-wishers and family, went ahead and played the three-day warm-up match against England.

Javed, who was not even in Mumbai's under-22 squad as recently as last year, has ploughed on, and the chance to play against an international team had to be weighed up against the need to be with his family at a difficult time. In the end, it was Raju Pathak, Javed's long-time coach, who played a big part in convincing him to take the field. "By 5 am, we advised him to play the match. He was crying the whole night and was in a state of shock," Pathak told the Indian Express. "But this match against England was a big opportunity for him. His father was keen to see him bowl against England. So he did what his father would have wanted him to do."

While Javed is reported to have later composed himself enough to send a text to his friends saying that he was playing the match "for his father", the fact of the death was not widely known or discussed within the Mumbai A dressing-room. "Javed is in great form and it was very brave of him to come out and play today," said Pathak.

At only 22, Javed's composure in the face of trying circumstances was commendable, and he ended the innings with figures of two for 75 from 17 overs. However, he is not the first player to turn up at a big game after the death of a parent. Virat Kohli was only 18 when his father died even as Kohli was batting for Delhi in a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in 2006. Unbeaten on 40 overnight, Kohli walked out to bat the next morning and pressed on to make 90, taking his team out of the woods.