Post his unbeaten 81-run knock in the three-day warm-up game against New Zealand XI at Seddon Park on Sunday, India Test batsman Mayank Agarwal expressed his happiness over the fact that his hard work is now bearing fruits.
India take on New Zealand on Tuesday in the first Test of the two-match series in Wellington and the right-handed opener is all confident of taking his good form forward.
“It’s been a little different playing here but I want to leave all that behind whatever has happened. Yes, I got an 81 in the second innings of this practice game and I want to take this confidence forward into the Test match,” Agarwal told reporters as quoted by IANS.
“Vikram sir and me, we have sat down and spoken about the areas where we need to improve. Yes, we have worked on it. After I got out in the first innings, I went back behind the nets, did a lot of drills. I am happy, whatever I have worked on is coming good now.
“Just being a little too closed. That’s just one part of it. But it is what it is and I don’t want to discuss too much about it. Yes, we worked on and we’ve moved forward and I would leave all that behind. It’s just one of those things that has happened while batting and I am glad that we are able to rectify it and move ahead,” he added.
“There’s no point thinking about what’s happened. Obviously, I can’t bring that back. The last thing I can tell myself is yes, I have got 81 not out here and I can carry that into the Test match. I got a couple of on-drives in this innings and as a batsman, you know that you have to be doing a lot of things correct to hit an on-drive. When I got a couple of those, it gave me the assurance that was required,” Agarwal further explained.
Apart from Agarwal, Rishabh Pant also played a fine knock of 70 runs in the second innings. While Mayank and Pant shared a 100-run partnership (134 runs for the third wicket), Prithvi Shaw scored a quickfire 39 off 31 balls as the match ended in a draw.