IND vs NZ | Mayank Agarwal played a gritty and determined innings, opines Shubhman Gill

The second Test between India and New Zealand in Mumbai started on December 3. The start of play was delayed due to the poor ground conditions caused because of rain. 

After the delay, India started well batting first with a solid opening stand of 80 runs before Shubhman Gill was dismissed by Ajaz Patel. But soon they lost three wickets in quick succession and were at 80/3. Eventually, the two partnerships between Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer plus Mayank Agarwal and Wriddhiman Saha put India in a strong position at the end of the day. 

Mayank Agarwal played a brilliant knock of unbeaten 120 runs from 246 balls while Saha scored 25 runs staying at the crease. Mayank also stitched two fifty-plus partnerships with Gill (44) and Iyer (18). Praising the innings played by Agarwal, Gill said that he played a gritty and determined knock. 

"It was a great knock. He didn't score much in the first match, he came in and played a determined and gritty inning. To be able to play 250 balls in a day and remain unbeaten is great," Gill said after the day's play.

Gill himself scored 44 runs from 71 balls but he was unable to convert it into a big score. He tried to push a delivery bowled outside off which spun away and the outside edge sent the ball into the slip cordon. Gill said that he felt it disappointing to be unable to convert his start to a big score. 

"I was batting well and it was an opportunity for me to go big but unfortunately, I missed out on this,” Gill said. 

"Unfortunately, I haven't got a hundred yet in these 10 matches. It's not because of my concentration, I have been unlucky sometimes or just not been able to convert those. I feel converting hundreds into big ones is actually one of my strengths.” 

India will now look forward to capitalise on the start they got on day 1 and score a big total to win the series.