Once I started getting runs it was about making every innings count, says Mayank Agarwal

Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal is the single-most talked about topic in Indian cricket at the moment. The prolific batsman has managed to make head turns turn after he showed his class during the Ranji Trophy, the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy as well. Agarwal has been in sublime form all throughout 2017 as he led his state team of Karnataka to the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In Tuesday’s final, Agarwal fought his way to 90 off 79 balls after Karnataka slipped to 5/2, an innings that set up Karnataka’s victory. Agarwal said "that every single innings mattered to him as he wanted to make the most of all the opportunities that came his way."

"To be honest, I never thought about the season and how it would pan out. Once I started getting runs it was about making every innings count. And not count for myself, but for the team. Every time we were in a tough situation it was about someone or the other putting their hand up in those conditions and seeing the team through. 

"In the Karnataka dressing room, we’ve always spoken about how those players who are doing well need to carry the team through during tough times. Not everyone is going to perform in a game, so the guys who get set or who are doing well should make sure they finish the job," said Agarwal in an interview to TOI.

The 27-year old Agarwal surpassed Shreyas Iyer’s record of 1947 runs, that was set on the domestic circuit two seasons ago, as he took his tally to a mind-boggling 2,141 runs. But Agarwal was overlooked for the 15-man squad to play the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka which came as a surprise to some followers of the game as players like Deepak Hooda, Mohammed Sriraj and all-rounder Vijay Shankar made the cut.

But Agarwal reiterated that it is better to live in the present, than worry about the future.

"I think that is very important. Staying in the present is something cricket has taught me. That is easier said than done, however. But trying to be in those moments, blocking out what is not in your control is something you can try and do, and in my case it worked wonders. That is something that top cricketers speak about. That’s something I have learnt," Agarwal added.