BGT 2024-25: It’s really about getting into a fight and embracing those moments, says Mayank Agarawal

New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The experience of being a debutant Test batter in Australia, where bowlers test you with pace and bounce, is a familiar feeling for Mayank Agarawal. In 2018, with the series tied 1-1, Agarawal made his Test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in front of 80,000 fans. He impressed with scores of 76 and 42 as India went on to win the Test and eventually sealed the series 2-1.

With the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia kicking off in Perth on Friday, Agarawal offered words of wisdom to young Indian batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal, who will be playing on Australian pitches for the first time during the tour.

“Very honestly, it’s about really getting into the fight and really embracing those moments, challenging yourself and saying that, ‘I want to get into the fight, want to be in those tough situations’. You would want to put yourself there and say, ‘I can be the man that wins these moments and wins the game for the country’.

“Many of them have been there for three weeks plus. So, they would definitely have had time to get accustomed to the conditions. But I think when it now comes to playing games, it’s just about believing in yourself, getting into that fight, and embracing those moments. It could be tough but if you can win a few moments for your team then, definitely you are putting your team ahead,” said Agarawal in a telephonic conversation with IANS.

Agarawal, who has 21 Test appearances so far, has backed Padikkal and K.L. Rahul to come good as top-order batters in Perth. “I believe that momentum and batting rhythm is crucial for many batters. So, if they can get a start and get going, then both of them can really put big runs on the board for the team.”

“Both of them are batters who are always hungry for making big runs. So, I’m really looking forward to seeing how they start the series and I have a lot of confidence that they’ll go out there and win situations and matches for India.”

"The pace and bounce in Australian pitches can also benefit someone like fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna, feels Agarawal. “Well, he did really well in the India A games and he looks in good rhythm. So, I think he’s somebody who can have an impact; he’s got that advantage with his height and he gets that bounce,” he said.

Friday’s Test at Perth marks a rare occasion for two fast bowlers being captains of their respective sides – Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah.

“Both of them are really thinking cricketers and obviously performers. So, they really believe in themselves, and their skills and both are thinking cricketers. So, they read the game really well, and that really gives them an edge over other cricketers,” added Agarawal.

He also predicts the series to be a tight affair, where the team winning key battles will ultimately lift the trophy. “Well, I think it’s going to be a very tightly fought contest, there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, ebbs and flows, as there’ll be a lot of different games and it will present each team with different opportunities to win the game,” Agarawal said.

“I think the team that seizes those moments will go on to win the series because the last four times India played Australia overall, India have won. So, that is going to be a big confidence boost and then obviously Australia playing at home is going to be massive from their view too.”

With all the buzz surrounding the upcoming five-game series in Australia, Agarawal reminisced about his experience playing Test cricket at the MCG and being a part of India’s historic first series victory on Australian soil, followed by the unforgettable 2020/21 triumph.

“Making my debut at the MCG was my most memorable moment of being in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and then winning that series has to top that list. Doing it for the first time ever was something phenomenal and I also quite enjoyed playing against Nathan Lyon. Being aggressive against him was something that I quite enjoyed and then I found out what it felt like to really put the pressure on the Aussies in the 2018-19 series,” Agarawal concluded.

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