Rahul Dravid backed me before India selection, reveals Mayank Agarwal

It was finally in the Boxing Day Test match, at the MCG in 2018, where Karnataka’s seasoned batsman Mayank Agarwal made his Test debut for India. In a game that India won by a convincing margin of 137 runs, Agarwal had produced scores of 76 and 42. So far he has played 11 Test for India and has amassed 974 runs, at 57. 29, including a high score of 243. To reach his Test debut, it took him a long time and the 29-year-old revealed that it was Rahul Dravid's motivating words that had helped him keep the negative thoughts away and carry on. Agarwal had the chance to work under the former Indian captain when the latter was serving as the A team coach. 

"I was getting runs you know. I got massive runs that Ranji Trophy season and for India A. I did have a word with Rahul bhai. I told him I was getting thoughts of sometimes not getting picked. I very clearly remember him telling me 'Mayank these are the things that are in your hands. You have worked hard, you have gotten here. You are as close as you can get. Selection is not in your hands," Agarwal told Sanjay Manjrekar in a videocast on ESPNcricinfo.

Agarwal further revealed that it was the kind of motivation, from Dravid’s words, that he absolutely needed since the non-selection was getting harder for him. The Karnataka batsman was stoked when he finally earned his call to the team and he recalled calling Dravid up to thank him. 

"And I totally agreed with him. Theoretically, you understand that but practically it's not easy. But he put forth few things - 'What is to say that the coming October and November is not going to be different from September. If you think otherwise you will get into a negative mind frame it's you who is going to lose out and nobody else'. So I remembered that talk and that kept me going. When I got the call I was elated and I called him up and thanked him," Mayank added.