Mayank Agarwal eager to play in all three formats for India

What's the story?

Fresh from a triumphant Test series down under, Mayank Agarwal is now eager to play all the three formats for India. The opener stamped his authority against Australia in alien conditions and now wants the good form to rub into the limited overs formats too.

“Obviously the goal is to play for the country in all three formats,” Agarwal told Reuters. “I’m looking forward to playing limited-overs cricket for the country whenever the opportunity presents itself. I think I have the game (to succeed across formats). The basic remains the same, whether you’re playing Test cricket, one-day cricket or Twenty20 cricket. You only have to change your game and plan according to the format you are playing and the situation you are put in.”

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With 3964 runs and an average of 50.17, Agarwal is a force to reckon with in the domestic circuit. Not too long back, he was pretty close to sealing a berth in the Indian limited-overs side, after having scored 287 runs from four one-day matches during the tri-series between India A, England A and West Indies A in 2018.

Back home, in a quadrangular series, the batter amassed 236 runs at an average of 59. He hit a ton against India A and a gutsy 69 versus Australia A.

The heart of the matter

He wasn't a part of the Indian squad for the Test series initially, but an injury to Prithvi Shaw paved the way for the Karnataka man.

Then 27, Agarwal took a fresh guard and hit a watchful 76 and followed it up with a compact 42. He celebrated the impressive debut with a 77 in his next game. While many anticipated a hundred on cards, Agarwal was dismissed while attempting a six off Nathan Lyon. The dismissal still haunts the elegant batter.

“I’m still disappointed about that. I could have had a century there. I was looking to attack him. I have learnt from that mistake,” he said.

What's next?

Now 28, Agarwal has everything to play for. He recently signed a bat sponsorship with CEAT. Though he is not in the scheme of things for the World Cup, there is a lot of cricket to be played in the coming days. A stand-out campaign in the upcoming IPL can help him achieve his current desire.