India vs West Indies, 1st ODI: Mayank Agarwal makes ‘debut’ in Chennai
India and West Indies face off in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Chennai on Sunday (December 15). Mayank Agarwal made his 'debut' before the game
FollowChennai: With Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, Mayank Agarwal was included in the 15-man Indian squad. The Karnataka opener may make his ODI debut during the rubber but before that he had another “first” in Chennai.
The 28-year-old right-hander was called up to the Virat Kohli-led India ODI squad during the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. He was drafted into the side as a replacement player for Vijay Shankar. However, he did not get a game as India exited at the semi-final stage in July this year.
Also read: Bhuvneshwar Kumar ruled out of Windies series
Now, Mayank is back in the squad, again as a replacement player. Mayank has proved his worth as a Test batsman and now he is ready to do well in the limited-overs format. After scoring a Test double hundred in the two-match series against Bangladesh at home last month, he headed to play T20s for his state side Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His team won the title.
After the T20s, he played the opening round of the Ranji Trophy against Tamil Nadu in Dindigul. Karnataka won the game in a thrilling last-over finish on the final day. During the game he was called up to India ODI line-up.
Making his debut on ‘Chahal TV’ and answering questions from leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, Mayank explained how he switches from red ball to pink ball to white ball. Last month, he had played the pink ball Test too, against Bangladesh, in Kolkata.
“The more I play, the better it is for me. I rather play cricket than not play. When it comes to my mindset, the basics remain the same (in all formats). If you know your game plan it is easy to switch (formats),” Mayank, who has played nine Tests, said.
Mayank said he always wants to be an “asset” to whichever team he plays for. “Wherever I play I always think how I can be an asset to the team. How I can contribute to my team. Even if I don't score runs with the bat, I think of how I can contribute in the field. I always enter the field thinking I have to win every match, every tournament,” he said.
India and West Indies play the first ODI in Chennai on Sunday (December 15).
