Thread on Mayank Agrawal in Tests

After some consistent first class performances, Mayank Agarwal was chosen for National Side in 2018 before West Indies Tour of India. Scored 81 in Warm-up game but his counterpart Shaw who scored 8 was given National Cap first.

The next series he was excluded from the squad for Australia. After failures in 2 tests by our openers he was recalled for MCG Test & Replaced KL Rahul. Series 1-1 & you are facing Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, Lyon on debut at the biggest venue with a full crowd.

He oozed class scoring 76 and took on Nathan Lyon was the wrecker in chief in the previous 2 matches. In second innings India faced an early collapse and he took India's lead past 400 with his pretty 42. For reference India's big 3 Kohli Pujara and Rahane collectively scored 1Run

Had an outstanding debut. Next game at the Sydney cricket ground he betters his previous best by making 77 against the same lineup on day 1. The next series in West Indies he was dismissed under 40 for the first time in his career in both Innings.

In the very next innings he scores 55 off 127 balls when his partners KL & Puji were dismissed for 13 and 6. In a second innings he was dismissed for 4. In his next test against South Africa He racks up his first ever hundred (215) & scored 7 in other innings.

The next Test on a fresh morning that offered seam, other opener & no.3 were back early in the hut. He scored another Ton (108). This makes his 5th Test where he passed at least 50 runs. (Played 6 Tests). In Third Test in Ranchi that had some help for pacers he fell prey early

to Rabada for just 10. This is only the second Test in his career where he didn't score a fifty. In the next Test against Bangladesh he scores another double hundred (243). In the other test against the same opposition he is dismissed for 14.

India next tour New Zealand, a tour that they would want to forget. But Mayank once again proved his mettle against a quality lineup in pacer friendly conditions scoring 34 in 1st innings & weathered the storm for India in the first session where they lost Shaw, Pujara & Kohli

after being put into bat. For the record he is the first Indian opener in the last 30 years to remain unbeaten in first session of a Test in NZ. In the next innings he registers India's first fifty of the series with a quality 58 when no other in top 4 went past 20

while trailing behind in first innings by 178 runs. Man registers another fifty. Played 10 Tests & scored fifties in 7 of them. Incredible. India is bowled out under 200 twice in the Test & Mayank's aggregate in the Test is 92. Simply outstanding.

In the final test of the series he is trapped in front by Boult twice. However he ended the Test series as India's leading run-scorer with 102 runs across 4 outings. Post covid, India tour Australia for a high voltage Test series.

Mayank gets a start but is beaten by a beauty from Cummins & departs facing 40 balls for just 17. In the second innings that saw India's all time lowest test total he survives the twilight but is once again dismissed after 40 balls for just 9 runs.

The next Test, Starc had him all over the place with one of the best opening overs & sends Agarwal back for a nought. In the second dig, he fails once again scoring just 5 while chasing 70. At the end of 13 Tests he showed great promise on overseas tours while averaging

a little under 48 in his Test career. After coming on top in one of the toughest conditions, his spot is shockingly in danger & if reports are believed to be true he will be dropped. If that happens his confidence will hit an all-time low thinking of the axe.

If this guy is dropped after good returns against top bowling attacks in early stages of career then it will take a toll on the opener. Mind you, he was the top-scorer in India's most forgettable tour since his debut & he is still not a certain starter for next test

In short, he is never backed. Can't keep crying over poor show by openers when they're not backed properly.