Mayank Agarwal's fitness mantra
India’s search for a young and exuberant Test opener seems to have ended with Mayank Agarwal, who has been setting the stage on fire ever since his debut last year. A masterful opening batsman with almost all orthodox shots in his arsenal, Mayank averages over 55 in Tests, with one hundred and three fifties already.
The latest achievement next to his name has been the scintillating double century against South Africa recently. He is one of the handful of Indian batsmen to have converted their maiden century into a double ton, exhibiting his talent in the Visakhapatnam Test to be one of India’s pillars in their 203-run win.
The 200 is just another fruit of the hard work Mayank has put in at the domestic level; even two years ago, he was far away from a call-up to the Indian team. Always known to be a talented batsman, right from his early days, Mayank just couldn’t get the attention of the selectors, failing to enjoy a consistent run of form.
All that changed when he hit peak form in the 2017-18 season, when he became the highest run-getter in the 2017/18 Ranji Trophy season and accumulated 1160 runs in 13 innings at an average of 105.45. He also scored 2162 runs in 32 innings in the domestic season across all formats. Mayank Agarwal broke Sachin Tendulkar's record with stellar performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, compiling 723 runs (3 hundreds and 4 fifties) at an average of 90.37 and a strike rate of over 107.
It’s not just his batting prowess that makes Mayank the athlete he is. Those close to Mayank can vouch for his exemplary focus and attention to detail when it comes to fitness. He practises Vipassana as part of his meditation regime, and spends hours in the gym honing his physique and optimising his body for the game.
It was this attitude towards fitness that saw him become the Brand Ambassador for Fast&Up, a flagship sports nutrition brand of Aeronutrix Sports Products Private Limited that has been promoting a healthy lifestyle and showcasing the importance of nutritional supplements for years.
With runs flowing from his bat, and fitness his top priority, there’s little that can stop Mayank from continuing his merriment at the international level. There have been few players who have adjusted to the topmost form of cricket like Mayank has, and based on the exhibition of run-making he has shown thus far, the Mayank brand will continue to soar.
Also see – World Test Championship Schedule