After the bright year in 2019, Mayank Agarwal has struggled at the beginning of 2020. While he recently showed much promise following a string of low scores. He is looking forward to performing well in the forthcoming away Test series against the hosts New Zealand.
After making Test debut at the end of 2018, Agarwal quickly fixed his place in the Indian Test side as an opening batsman.
In the last year, he was the most Test run-scorer for India.
The right-handed opening batsman scored 754 runs in 11 Test innings in 2019 (average 68.54), including three centuries and two half-centuries. Out of those three centuries, he converted two into double-centuries.
However, Agarwal has failed to maintain this strong character in the ongoing New Zealand tour. Before the international series in this tour, Agarwal prepared himself in this unfamiliar condition by serving for India A. He played two warm-up matches in List A format, three List A games and one first-class game for India A in this tour.
Later, Agarwal replaced injured Rohit Sharma during the ODI series on this New Zealand tour. Making his ODI debut in that series, he failed to impress the team management.
In this New Zealand tour, Agarwal scored 8, 32, 29, 37, 24, 0, 0, 32, 3 and 1 respectively before the recent three-day tour game between New Zealand XI and Indians.
Though he (1) once again failed to perform in the first innings of the tour game, he finally gave a big relief to the team management by scoring 81 runs (retired out) in the second innings of that game.
After that convincing knock, Mayank claimed, “It’s been a little different playing here but I want to leave all that behind. Whatever has happened has happened. Yes, I got an 81 in the second innings of this practice game and I want to take this confidence forward into the Test match.”
On the final day of that three-day tour match (16th February), Agarwal put the 100 runs partnership with Rishabh Pant for the third wicket. The opener Agarwal scored 81 runs off 99 balls (10 fours and 3 sixes).
I am happy whatever I have worked on is coming good now: Mayank Agarwal
Agarwal claimed that he and the batting coach Vikram Rathour pointed out the weak areas and worked on those to improve.
He said, “Vikram sir and me, we have sat down and spoken about the areas where we need to improve. Yes, we have worked on it. After I got out in the first innings, I went back behind to the nets, did a lot of drills. I am happy whatever I have worked on is coming good now.”
Talking more about their recent work, Agarwal claimed to work on the closed stance.
He added, “Just being a little too closed. That’s just one part of it. But it is what it is and I don’t want to discuss too much about it. Yes, we worked on and we’ve moved forward and I would leave all that behind.
“It’s just one of those things that has happened while batting and I am glad that we are able to rectify it and move ahead.”
There’s no point thinking about what’s happened: Mayank Agarwal
Forgetting the struggling chapter, Agarwal is looking forward to performing well in the upcoming Test series against the hosts New Zealand.
He said, “There’s no point thinking about what’s happened. Obviously, I can’t bring that back. The last thing I can tell myself is yes, I have got 81 not out here and I can carry that into the Test match.”
Talking about how he gets his confidence back, Agarwal pointed out his on-drives.
The opener quoted, “I got a couple of on-drives in this innings and as a batsman, you know that you have to be doing a lot of things correct to hit an on-drive. When I got a couple of those, it gave me the assurance that was required.”
The two-match Test series between New Zealand and India will begin on 21st February. While Prithvi Shaw and Agarwal are likely to start the innings in the opening game of the forthcoming Test series, Agarwal is confident to play the natural game while relying on strong communication.