Latest revision as of 20:03, 23 September 2022

This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.
Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook
community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully
acknowledged in your name.

[edit] Career

[edit] U-19 days

Ruchir Mishra, Nov 16, 2019: The Times of India

In contrast to his bold strokemaking in the Test arena these days, Mayank Agrawal was quite the shy kid during his days as an under-19 cricketer for India. While he was an assured cricketer, he just wouldn’t open up or communicate. “He used to be very shy. You needed to push him to talk. While most of us would have some story or the other to tell, Mayank would just smile and listen,” Chhattisgarh captain and former Madhya Pradesh skipper Harpreet Singh, his former India under-19 teammate, recalled while speaking to TOI after Mayank’s monumental double ton against Bangladesh on Friday.

Apart from his shyness, there was another quality about Mayank that endeared him to his teenaged teammates: he was extremely forgetful, so much so that he was nicknamed ‘Ghajini’, from the popular Aamir Khan- starrer in which a tycoon suffers short-term memory loss.

Harpreet recalled a funny incident during the U-19 South Africa tour in 2009. Chandrakant Pandit, then the coach of India’s under-19 team, had given the responsibility of the ‘ball box’ to Agrawal.

“Mayank forgot to carry the box during one of the practice sessions. He was so scared the whole while. We named him ‘Ghajini’ because of his habit of forgetting little things and then suddenly recalling them after 15-20 minutes. It was so funny,” he said.

“He always had that class about him...those flowing drives and the way he would dance down the wicket to hit spinners. He was always very aggressive on the field, but totally opposite off it. We had a fabulous group... Mayank, KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Jaidev Undakat, Ashok Menaria, Manan Sharma, Harshal Patel. None of us played selfish cricket and that’s the reason most of us are still doing well,” Harpreet said.

Harpreet recently met Mayank during Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru. “He hasn’t changed a bit. He has become more confident while talking. He now presents himself very well, which you expect from someone playing for the country. I am sure, he will have a long international career,” he signed off. Needless to say, ‘Ghajini’ Mayank also won’t forget his second double ton in Tests in a hurry!

[edit] Dec 2018- 2019: a good phase

Manuja Veerappa, January 1, 2020: The Times of India

Mayank Agarwal- Dec 2018- Dec 2019
From: Manuja Veerappa, January 1, 2020: The Times of India

Key Highlights

Although Mayank is yet to play limited-overs internationals, he was called in as replacement during the World Cup and for the recent series against West Indies.

Through the season, when he wasn't busy piling up runs for India, Mayank returned to the Karnataka side, helping them retain the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and win the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy.

BENGALURU: India Test opener Mayank Agarwal's maiden international season was marked by the confidence which comes from successfully navigating the grind of domestic cricket. A case study for aspiring cricketers on what it takes to break the glass ceiling, the 28-year-old, who waited long for the India cap, has made the opportunities count. Debuting against Australia in Melbourne on Dec 26, 2018, the Bengaluru talent has since played nine Tests and cracked two double-centuries, a century and three fifties to tally 754 runs. He ended the year as the sixth highest run-getter in Test cricket.

Although he is yet to play limited-overs internationals, he was called in as replacement during the World Cup and for the recent series against West Indies. Through the season, when he wasn't busy piling up runs for India, he returned to the Karnataka side, helping them retain the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and win the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the new year, Mayank will continue his international run in New Zealand where, he says, the focus and the goal will remain the same, to contribute to the team's success. In an interview with TOI, the batting sensation opened up on his first year at the top level.

Excerpts…

On finishing the season among the top 10 run-getters in Test cricket:

It has been a great learning curve. There have been some tremendous experiences. To be honest, when I got picked into the Test squad or played my first match, I never ever thought about what I needed to do. I just took it one game at a time, put my head down and gave it my best shot each time, every single day. It feels great to contribute to the team. More importantly, what's most satisfying is that India are the No. 1 team in the world.

The biggest takeaway from the year:

It's difficult to point out one biggest takeaway. To be able to go out and play in India colours has obviously been special. We've had some great wins and I carry those memories with me. I've really enjoyed my year as an international cricketer.

On which knock was more special, the 215 against South Africa or the 243 against Bangladesh:

Both. Honestly, I'm not a man for comparisons. Each innings had its own importance. When I got my first double hundred, it was obviously special. Then to get the next double-hundred in the next series was terrific. To me, it reiterated the fact that when I'm set, I'm scoring big and contributing to the team's success.

How much has your long stint in domestic cricket helped you? I think I would say that my journey has been different from many others. I've quite liked it. Yes, I have had to play a lot of domestic games, which in hindsight has helped me a lot. Playing those games helped me become a better player.

On opening with three different batsmen in seven Tests:

It doesn't require adjustment because you are opening with top-quality players. You understand your game and they understand theirs. So it is more about communication and having a good rapport with each one of them.

On Rohit Sharma as opening partner:

It was the first time I was opening with him. We just spoke about plans, we had plans for each bowler. We did not overthink, instead we took it as it came and went ball by ball. It was great to have such a big opening partnership (317 against South Africa in Visakhapatnam) with him in our first opening stand. I enjoyed playing with him and watching the way he dominated the spinners. From the non-striker's end, you could see the bowlers were struggling. The good balls were being hit for four and the bad balls were anyways being punished.

On switching from one format to the other:

Understanding your game becomes very important when you switch formats. Knowing when to take risks and reading situations is the key. When you are playing 50 overs, there is more time than you think. The risk can be a lot more calculative because you have 300 balls to play. That doesn't happen in T20s. The most essential thing is to understand your game and see what shots you can play on that particular wicket and what you cannot play. Then just having the mental discipline to keep doing that.

On going back to domestic cricket after international assignments:

I think it is about winning tournaments, playing more matches and contributing wherever you go. It keeps me going. Yes, I have thought about breaks, but each time I have come out of a Test series, Karnataka is playing either a quarterfinal or a semifinal of a domestic competition. So obviously you want to be a part of the state side for which you played from your younger days and contribute as much as you can in whatever way. That said, all the while you have to know how much your body can take. So, you push yourself only as much as you can.

[edit] YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS

[edit] 2017-18: most runs in an Indian domestic season

Hindol Basu, March 31, 2018: The Times of India

‘Don’t want to be a one-season wonder’

With 2,232 runs under his belt in 2017-18, Mayank Agarwal holds the record for most runs in an Indian domestic season. The Karnataka opener shattered many batting records in domestic cricket but still didn’t get a call-up to the national team. That disappointment aside, the 27-yearold is now hoping a successful IPL will get him that elusive India spot. Kings XI Punjab – Mayank’s IPL team – would wish that his domestic form continues. The man himself doesn’t want to be stated as a one-season wonder.

“For me as a player, one of the targets would be to succeed in this year’s IPL,” Mayank told TOI on Friday. “I don’t want to be called a one-season wonder. You want to get better with every season. I don’t want anyone to point fingers at me and say that he didn’t perform after one season.”

Kings XI have a number of openers this time and Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, KL Rahul, Karun Nair and Mayank will all be vying for the two spots up the batting order.

Mayank, though, is ready to bat in the middle-order too. “My aim is to add value to the side, and it doesn’t only have to be as an opener. If playing in the middle-order helps the team, so be it. Cricket is not an individual sport, it is a team sport. The team management decides what the role of a player should be; and, at the end of the day, as a player you have to go out there and perform,” said the prolific right-hander.

Mayank is also looking to pick the brains of Kings XI’s team director Virender Sehwag. Both Sehwag and Mayank have an aggressive batting style and inputs from the dashing former India opener will help the Karnataka lad go a long way.

“He (Sehwag) is my favourite cricketer. As a kid, I was always fascinated by the way he took the attack to the opposition and the way he dominated. What I would like to learn from him (Sehwag) is his mindset while tacking various situations,” said Mayank. “The way he used to approach high-profile games, the way he handled spinners, and various pressure situations – all that I would like to learn. Besides him, I would also like to learn as much as possible from other stalwarts like Gayle, Finch and Ashwin.”

Mayank also hoped that Ravichandran Ashwin’s captaincy would bring the best out in him. “I am looking forward to playing under Ashwin’s captaincy, and evolve under his leadership. At the end of the day, performance will be the key and I am hoping I can put in a good show.”

[edit] 2018: A good year

Mayank Agarwal, as in 2018
From: Shashank Shekhar, December 20, 2018: The Times of India

See graphic:

Mayank Agarwal, as in 2018

[edit] 2018- Dec 21

Dec 4, 2021: The Times of India

New Delhi: Delhi High Court asked Delhi government to refrain from taking any action in connection with a ban on cross-gender massages in the city, observing that such services don’t simply indicate the existence of sexual activity. The remark was made by Justice Rekha Palli who was told by senior counsel Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government, that the policy was framed after due deliberation to stop sexual activities at such centres. The court, which was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the prohibition on cross-gender massages, was urged by the senior advocate to allow the policy, which has now taken the form of a guideline.

He asked the court to allow the policy to remain in force for some time and highlighted that cross-gender massages are not permitted at several places, including five-star hotels.

However, the judge observed, “Just because it is a cross-gender massage, doesn’t mean that it is sexual activity.” “You ask your people to hold their hands. I’m not saying that illegal activities you shouldn’t stop,” she added.

Delhi government counsel said that the authorities will only act against illegal activities. The court adjourned hearing on the petitions till later this month.

In September, one of the petitioners, Association of Wellness Ayurveda & Spa, had told the court that the ban on cross-gender massages was unconstitutional for being in violation of Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution and assuming prostitution to be only in the “heterosexual domain” is illogical. PTI