He was in the fifth grade when his tryst with the game catapulted him on a different path, and since then there’s been no stopping this skilled youngster. Meet cricketer Mayank Agarwal, who is all set to showcase his batting prowess this KPL season. Currently playing the Duleep Trophy, the young batsman, who plays for India Blue, scored a massive 161 against India Green.
Ask him how the cricket season has been for him over the past few months and Mayank says, “It’s been really nice. We played the Thimmappiah Trophy recently, and we were the runners-up. I had a good tournament — I scored a big 100. The preparation has been good. I'm working hard on my fitness — my routine includes a combination of gymming, running and swimming.”
The 25-year-old is kicked about the Karnataka Premier League which will commence on September 16. “I’m going to be representing the Belagavi Panthers again — they have retained me. I'm quite excited as KPL is a platform which has helped a lot of Karnataka players,” he says.
Considering he's never been a part of a team that’s won the KPL, Mayank hopes that his team manages to clinch the title this season. “Every player has his role cut out. It should be good ‘cos we have a plan in mind,” he adds.
In a sport that is capricious, how does he manage to deal with disappointments? “If things don’t work out, it’s fine as long as I’ve given my best shot, done all the preparations and put in the maximum effort. That’s how sport is — sometimes, it works and sometimes, it doesn’t. You’ve just got to accept that and put in 100 per cent effort,” he opines.
Taking us back to his childhood days, Mayank tells us that he was a 10-year-old when he got acquainted with the bat and ball. “We used to have interschool matches. I remember playing well in it and that’s when my coach Mr Ramdas got me into the school team. That’s when I started taking the sport more seriously,” says the alumnus of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School.
As he casts his mind back to his growing up years, the cricketer reveals that he fell in love with cricket because of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. “Later on, I looked upto Virender Sehwag. I like how fearless he is and that he has a positive attitude towards the game and his batting,” he adds.
Having played for the IPL, Mayank says, “IPL has been a great experience. It’s nice to play with Indian internationals and international players around the world. It’s intriguing to see how they read the game and deal with situations.”
When he’s not setting the field on fire with his shots, Mayank loves spending time at home with his family. “I also watch a lot of football and catch up on movies. I like action movies,” he says.
