Mayank Agarwal is looking forward to continue the excellent form he has shown in the last couple of years and make amends for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2019. The Karnataka right-hander is especially focussing over the mental side of his game, something he has definitely gone better at doing since his magnificent Test debut for the country in Australia. 

Mayank made scores of 76, 42 and 77 in Melbourne and Sydney, and played his role in India's first Test series win down under. 

"The intensity with which the game is played (at the highest level) is a lot different from first-class matches," he told Hindustan Times. "That is something I can take inspiration from. The environment in the dressing room is also quite vibrant; it gives you a lot of insight. I hope to be calmer in pressure situations after seeing how the senior cricketers go about a match."

"My learning from international cricket has been more on the mental aspects than on the technical side. I learned a lot about focusing on bowlers while dealing with the pressure from outside and from within."

Mayank is certainly arriving into this Indian Premier League season with more pressure but greater confidence to do well than before, and he acknowledged it too by saying, "I am excited. I have made certain plans and worked on it, hopefully, things will turn out well. There is going to be pressure. There will be expectations from fans, franchise, and teammates. It’s the kind of pressure that I enjoy."

"After the IPL (last year), I sat down with my coach and analysed the areas in which I failed. We had a year to sort things out and we have improved on that front. I am happy to be back, to try and change things for the good."

Unlike the Indian Test team where he has sealed himself a place at the top, Agarwal will be fighting directly with the likes of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul for his spot in the KXIP line-up. But the 28-year-old is instead excited to share the dressing room with the amazing duo and learn from their ways. 

"Rahul is my state-mate, we’ve played a lot together," he said. "The way Gayle paces his innings is worth learning. We’ve shared a lot of communication last year. I hope to carry that forward this time too."

Mayank's last T20 knock was an outstanding 85* in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Maharashtra. And those are the kind of innings he'll be wanting to play for Kings XI Punjab who kickstart their IPL campaign this year with a game versus Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Monday (March 25). 

"That knock was special as it capped a good domestic season for us (Karnataka). I was happy it came in the final. It was perfect preparation for IPL. As a professional cricketer, we need to adapt to format changes quickly. It always helps if you get time to get into the groove and win a national title for your state," he signed off.