In his first eight Test matches, divided equally at residence and overseas, Mayank Agarwal scored two double centuries, one century and three half-centuries. He then performed just a few quiet video games in Australia, and located himself in line behind Shubman Gill. That’s when Mohammad Siraj suffered a head damage in England. KL Rahul made a comeback and rediscovered himself within the longest format. Rohit Sharma, in the meantime, was Rohit Sharma.
If one performs a format native to India, like Agarwal does in the meanwhile, being slotted in as a back-up Test opener might be the hardest place within the sport. Then he obtained a sport nearer to a 12 months, and instantly misplaced in opposition to the category of Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson. It could be an unforgiving gig to work with at instances to blunt the brand new pink ball.
So forgiving that if Agarwal had made the sacrifice for the visiting captain Virat Kohli for the Mumbai Test, it in all probability would not have induced a lot outrage. He was not going to open on the Wanderers anyway, coming within the first Test in opposition to South Africa, except there was an everyday damage.
I@mayankcricket I#INDvNZ @paytm pic.twitter.com/nqSu26V5VH
— BCCI (@BCCI) 3 December 2021
After his identify was included within the XI for the afternoon’s begin on the Wankhede Stadium, Agarwal made positive he was nonetheless batting when the sport was known as off 5 minutes earlier for poor mild, with the hosts 221. At /4 the prolonged time was over.
All 4 of his Test centuries – 215, 108, 243 and this unbeaten 120 – have come at residence, and all 4 fifties are away from residence. While this speaks volumes of his conversion potential, not all residence daddy lots of have been so simple as trying on the new ball for half a season and capitalizing on that.
Indore had 243 one case. It got here in opposition to Bangladesh and Agarwal hit an Indian report eight sixes, however most of them have been effective when he crossed his century and pulled the innings into secure zone. For a time, Bangladesh’s quick bowlers had their tails up, and India went from 105/1 to 119/3, with the final specialist batting pair within the center.
rescue operation
Against New Zealand in Mumbai on Friday, India stumbled quick and arduous, going from 80/0 to 80/3 within the house of 16 balls. The fourth wicket pair of Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer doubled that rating, however even 160/4 was not the place India wished to bat after successful the toss.
Agarwal was risking his life within the Bangladesh sport. Things are now not the identical, however he was decided to bat for longer on the Wankhede. Even as Gill flaunts boundaries, Agarwal refuses to mess with the supply, leaving him exterior the off-stump. When he was requested to play, he tried to expire of line to keep away from a leg-before risk. Even within the night, his focus would stay the identical, as he proceeded to interchange considered one of Southee’s impending deliveries.
Agarwal tried to hit a boundary, and was achieved once more within the sixth over by Jamieson for 4 to 3rd man. He did not have a lot set off motion on that ball and the bat got here down from inside the road. But by the following ball, he had made a slight adjustment, crossing a step and going behind the road neatly to defend.
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How particular was that batting efficiency from Mayank Agarwal on the primary day at Wankhede! I#teamindia #INDvNZ @paytm pic.twitter.com/cbrGQUIwfa
— BCCI (@BCCI) 3 December 2021
After the day’s play, he mentioned that he had obtained options about method from Sunil Gavaskar and was attempting to be extra side-on. “He told me that I should consider keeping the bat a little lower early in my innings,” Agarwal mentioned. “I have a tendency to hold it high. I couldn’t make that adjustment in such a short amount of time. I paid attention to his shoulder position and picked up where I needed to be more side-on.”
It additionally helped that the beginning was delayed by one session. The first one often helps the quick bowlers essentially the most on the Wankhede, and the second is nice for batting earlier than the bowlers get some help once more within the night.
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(Twitter/Blackcaps)
Once he got here in, Agarwal was price watching in opposition to spin, as he usually does. Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ejaz Patel took all 4 wickets to fall, which included Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. He was searching for grip and turning, and infrequently hitting the skin edge on the back and front toes.
(PTI photograph/Shashank Parade).
But again and again, Agarwal would stroll out and take him to the long-off boundary with a spin. They have this particular method of getting out of the crease, and gathering sufficient momentum to cowl the gap with a clear bat-swing, just like the batsmen of earlier eras needed to do when the bats weren’t as highly effective.
Sixty of his 120 runs got here in entrance of the sq. on the off aspect, which included three sixes in opposition to Ijaz. Later, Agarwal would say that going aggressive in opposition to the left-arm spinner was a aware resolution. “He was bowling very nicely. But each time something was on our half, the plan was to be just a little extra aggressive. Whatever got here barely in direction of us at size, we have been going to go for it. He had that section when he tied us, so it was a aware resolution whether or not we rely it or each time he bowls in our place. ,
Having already revived the innings twice, Agarwal just isn’t achieved but. “The first session (the second day) we want to play it, (as) the wicket is becoming harder and harder to bat.”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
