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IND vs NZ: Mayank Agarwal joins legend Sunil Gavaskar in elusive list with fifth Test half-century
Mayank looked well set to become the seventh Indian batter to have twin tons in a Test, lacing nine boundaries and a six to score 62 off 108, but was denied the feat by Ajaz Patel.
Indian opener Mayank Agarwal on Sunday joined the legendary Sunil Gavaskar in an elusive list of openers after he scored an impressive 62 in the second innings against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He had earlier scored a gutsy 150 in the first innings of the second Test.
With his fifth half-century knock, Mayank became the fourth Indian opener to score two fifty-plus knocks in a Test in Mumbai. He joined the likes of Chetan Chauhan (52, 84 in 1978), Sunil Gavaskar (205, 73 in 1978) and Kris Srikkanth (71, 65 in 1987).
After a steady opening stand of 80 runs in the first innings, India lost three quick wickets which included the dismissal of captain Virat Kohli and veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara for a duck. Mayank single-handedly carried India thereafter with an able asistance from Wriddhiman Saha, who scored 27 off 62 and all-rounder Axar Patel, who notched up his maiden Test fifty as India managed to post 325 runs after Ajaz Patel scripted a historic 10-wicket haul.
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In the second innings, opening alongside Cheteshwar Pujara, Mayank looked well set to become the seventh Indian batter to have twin tons in a Test, lacing nine boundaries and a six to score 62 off 108. But it was Ajaz once again, who denied Mayank the massive feat on the third morning.
Mayank 62 and Pujara's 47 off 97 helped India stretch their lead past 405 in the second Test in Mumbai.
Earlier, ahead of the second Test, Mayank's position in the playing XI was in doubt following a string of poor returns over the last two years. But he made the most of the opportunity the team management handed to him in Mumbai to add to their happy headache for the opening slot for the impending tour of South Africa.
