India opener Mayank Agarwal said having marathon batting sessions coupled with long-distance running before making his Test debut has really helped him achieve early success at the highest level. 

Agarwal struck an epic double hundred in the ongoing first Test against South Africa in Visakhapatnam to put his team in pole position to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. 

"Long distance running has helped me. When I was training before the season (2017-18 domestic season), my coach and I made sure we bat five-six hours," the 28-year-old, who played a tremendous innings of 215 in India's 502/7(declare), told reporters at the end of Day 2 in Vizag with South Africa 39/3 in response. 

"We would make sure that we would have two and half hour session, take a little break and then bat again. So it is just preparing in that manner, preparing that for long hours has helped me combined with long distance running."

Agarwal converted his fourth half-century into a maiden Test hundred and really accelerated thereafter to go past the 200-mark. 

"Just having crossed that milestone it put some nerves to ease and then having played on this wicket for some time, it gave me confidence."

"We had good measure of their bowling. Once I got to a big score, we made sure that we put the pressure back on the bowlers, put away the loose balls."

"You can’t think about what is going to happen if you are not going to get runs," he added. "It is very clear in the side that it is not only about big runs, it is about winning crucial situations. If you do that, nothing like it. As an opener you have to set the tone for your side."

When asked what the communication with skipper Virat Kohli was like as he remained not out overnight on 84 after a rain-curtailed Day 1, Mayank said: "The one thing he told me, actually he told me twice. He told me listen ‘you have 80 now so bat through’. Even after I got a hundred he said bat long. So it’s about the team and the way they encourage and the environment is created to go out there and perform."

Agarwal had a marathon opening partnership with newly appointed Test opener Rohit Sharma, who scored a magnificent 176 in a stand of 317. 

"For him to get such a big score first time opening the batting is tremendous," he said. "We all really enjoyed the way he batted. The way he took on the spinners, the way he paced his innings. It was great batting alongside him. It’s nice obviously getting a 300-run partnership."

(Inputs from PTI)