Mayank Agarwal the Test opener has arrived in style
The date was 26 December 2018. The MCG was packed with over 50,000 spectators for the first day of the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia. India chose to bat first on a lovely sunny morning, and a 27-year-old man was making his debut for India.
Mayank Agarwal had scored runs by the bucketful in domestic cricket for Karnataka and had now graduated to the big stage. The debutant sparkled when exposed to the international scene, scoring 76 against an attack consisting of the likes of Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins.
Delectable square cuts, sumptuous drives and flicks past midwicket were on display as Agarwal shone through in his first outing as an Indian Test opener. His opening salvo, combined with a solid hundred by Cheteshwar Pujara, helped India score a rare Test victory against Australia in their own backyard.
Fast forward a year later, and Agarwal is making headlines again with his stupendous show against Bangladesh. In the first Test the opener scored a stunning 243, his second Test double hundred of the year, to follow up a splendid 215 against South Africa last month.
Agarwal has forged a formidable opening partnership alongside Rohit Sharma at the top of the order, and it looks like the pair is likely to stay together for a long time.
After eight matches, Agarwal has mighty impressive numbers in his resume. He has scored 858 runs at a stupendous average of 71.50, including three fifties, three hundreds and two double hundreds.
The opener has been positive in his outlook, always looking to seize the initiative, and top top that his stroke-play is based on sound technique. He transfers his weight on either foot with ease, his head is steady, he leans into the ball with elegance and finds the gaps in the field with elan.
RX Muralidhar, Agarwal's coach since an early age, is full of praise for his famous pupil.
“You see, practice is like going to office for him. Just like someone goes to office every day, he would practice every day. It is his job," says Muralidhar with pride.
This is a man who is extremely dedicated to his craft, and who will leave no stone unturned in maximizing his potential. Agarwal brings with him a refreshingly grounded attitude, and that is precisely what has enabled him to shine for his country at the top of the order.
It might still be early days in Agarwal’s career, but his recent string of scores has shown the world his immense potential. The man is only 28, and still has a long way to go in his Test career. But if he can continue his stunning run with the bat, he can firmly establish himself as one of the mainstays of the Indian team for a long time to come.