New Delhi, November 21 (IANS). The experience of being a debuting Test batsman in Australia, where the bowlers test you with pace and bounce, is a familiar feeling for Mayank Agarwal. In 2018, when the series was tied 1–1, Agarwal made his Test debut in front of 80,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He impressed with scores of 76 and 42, helping India win the Test and eventually take the series 2–1.
With the start of the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia in Perth on Friday, Agarwal offered words of wisdom to young Indian batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal. Given, who will play on Australian pitches for the first time during the tour.
“Very honestly, it’s really about getting into the fight and embracing those moments, challenging yourself and saying, ‘I want to get into the fight, be in those tough situations’ yourself. Would like to put him out there and say, ‘I can be the guy who can win these moments and win the game for the country’.
“Many of them have been there for more than three weeks. So, they will definitely have time to get used to the conditions. But I think now when it comes to playing the game,” Agarwal said in a telephonic conversation with IANS. It’s just about believing in yourself, going into that fight and embracing those moments, but if you can win some moments for your team, then definitely you can. Keeping our team moving forward.”
Agarwal, who has played 21 Test matches so far, has backed Padikkal and KL Rahul as the top-order batsmen in Perth. “I believe pace and batting rhythm are important for many batsmen. So, if they can get good starts and carry on, both of them can really score big runs for the team.”
He said, “They both are batsmen who are always hungry to score big runs. So, I am really looking forward to see how they start the series and I am confident that they will go out there and help India. conditions and will win the match.”
Agarwal believes that the pace and bounce of Australian pitches can also benefit a player like fast bowler Prasidh Krishna. “Well, he did really well in the India A games and he looks in good form. So, I think he is someone who can make an impact; he’s got that advantage with his height. And he bounces, too.”
The Test match in Perth on Friday is a rare opportunity for two fast bowlers – Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah – to captain their respective teams. Agarwal said, “They are both really thinking cricketers and obviously performers. So, they really believe in themselves and their skills and both are thinking cricketers. So, they run the game really well.” He understands and that’s what gives him an edge over other cricketers.”
He also predicted that the series would be a closely fought one, with the team winning the crucial matches ultimately lifting the trophy. “Well, I think it will be a very hard-fought contest, there are going to be a lot of ups and downs,” Agarwal said. “I think the team that takes advantage of those moments will win the series, because in the last Four times when India has played against Australia, India has won. So, it’s a big confidence booster and then obviously playing Australia at home is going to be huge from their point of view as well.”
–IANS
RR/
