"I had no pressure from them" - Mayank Agarwal on how his family supported him to play cricket
SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) batter Mayank Agarwal recently spoke about how his family members supported him to take up cricket during his younger days.
He mentioned that his family did not pressurize him to focus on his studies, allowing him to consider cricket as a career option. Agarwal joked that his mother would only request that he obtain at least passing marks in the examinations.
Here's what Mayank Agarwal said in a video shared by SRH on their YouTube channel:
"I have unwavering support from them. I am very grateful to my grandparents and parents for that. In my younger days, my dad was very clear. He said that it's fine, there's only a certain age you can play a sport up to, but there is no age if you want to do business or you want to do something else, so that's fine, and you can pursue sport and then in case you want to ever make a switch, you could make the switch."
"They really backed me. I had no pressure from them in terms of getting a certain percentage, though, my mum used to always pull my leg and she said son, get 35 at least, but just clear your exam, don't waste your year," he added.
Agarwal also recalled that he was in the 12th grade when he was selected to play for India at the U19 World Cup in 2009-10, adding:
"I didn't understand the magnitude of it till I actually went and played there. I got picked for India U19 and we were having our 12th exams and I was just very happy to be missing some of those exams. So it was like that. But, it was a matter of immense pride for me to represent the nation."
Mayank Agarwal will next be seen in action in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), plying trade for the Hyderabad franchise.
He was the captain of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the previous edition but was released by the franchise ahead of the mini-auction, where he was roped in by SRH for ₹8.25 crore.
"Be a little more relaxed outside of the sport" - Mayank Agarwal on what he would advise his younger self
Mayank Agarwal further revealed that the only suggestion he would give his younger self is to be a little more relaxed outside of the field.
He revealed that he played with a lot of intensity back then, and continues to adopt a similar approach today as well. Agarwal added:
"Something that I would advise him on is something that I really appreciate about the 18 or 19-year-old Mayank is that he was very intense about the sport, and I still am. But I would have advised him to take it a little easier and be a little more relaxed outside of the sport."
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Mayank Agarwal last donned the India whites in March 2022 against Sri Lanka. He seems to have fallen down the pecking order following the emergence of Shubman Gill.
A successful IPL season could very well put the right-handed batter back in the reckoning of the selectors.