Having made his Test debut against Australia in December 2018, Mayank Agarwal has impressed one and all with his gutsy batting and sound temperament at the top.
In 11 Tests so far, Mayank has aggregated 974 runs at a remarkable average of 57.29, including three centuries with two of them being double.
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However, there was a time in his brief Test career when Agarwal was under some pressure for cementing his place in the Test team.
During India’s inaugural World Test Championship assignment in West Indies last year, Mayank had failed in the first match of the series, registering scores of 5 and 16. And it was Rohit Sharma then who had a chat with the right-handed opener and inspired confidence in him.
"I remember feeling a bit of pressure to cement my position in the Test team during the West Indies tour last year. I hadn't made too many runs in the first Test, and in between games Rohit Sharma could sense I was off a bit," Mayank said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo.
"He came forward to offer me some guidance, which I am extremely grateful for. We spoke a lot about how that Test series in West Indies was a different challenge for me. I had scored two half-centuries in the Test series against Australia on the last tour, so he impressed upon me that I shouldn't let that extra pressure of expectation get to me and overthink the process in the Caribbean.
"It definitely helped having that chat as I did go into the second West Indies Test in a more relaxed frame of mind," the 28-year-old added.
Rohit’s words did wonders to Mayank as he scored an important half-century in the first innings of the second Test against West Indies and retained his place in the side. He then went on to open with Rohit in the home Tests against South Africa and Bangladesh.
Mayank Agarwal will be next seen in action in the IPL 2020 for Kings XI Punjab. KL Rahul, who has been Mayank's teammate since their U-19 days, will be leading the side.
"KL [Rahul] and I started together, played India Under-19 together, we've opened in Tests. We've been part of a World Cup team. This is his first time as captain, and I'm excited for him," Agarwal said in the same interview.
"We've both played under Anil [Kumble] bhai at RCB. As a coach, Anil bhai has been meticulous in his planning and has given us specific roles. When someone gives you clarity to the extent he has, it gives you a clear picture of where you stand and what you should do to get to the next level," he further remarked.
