Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar praised batter Mayank Agarwal for his breakthrough performance in the second Test match against New Zealand in Mumbai, while former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman also explained how Agarwal adjusted his stance to improve his game in the second Test.
Mayank scored 150 and 62 in the first and second innings respectively of the second Test against New Zealand before India defeated the Kiwis on Monday, December 6.
"Mayank Agarwal's batting style was commendable. He very efficiently countered Wankhede's pitch which had a lot of turn and bounce. The way he approached and encountered Tim Southee was the highlight of the match because Southee was someone who troubled us a lot in the first Test match," said Sanjay Bangar on Star Sports show ‘Follow The Blues’.
"Mayank showed a lot of discipline against pacers and scored a lot of runs against spinners, especially against Ajaz Patel. I think Ajaz is a bowler who pitches a ball higher and whenever he has pitched the ball higher, Mayank Agarwal has used this opportunity to use his feet and play aerial shots. He has played long shots with the turn and which is why I think this is a big achievement for Mayank Agarwal -- the way he has made his comeback in Test cricket," he added.
"I think the difference between Kanpur and Mumbai was, that there were slight technical adjustments he made, more so he trusted the game plan against Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee," Laxman said on the programme.
"Because in Kanpur in both the innings he got out at balls that were pitching on and outside the off stump, whereas in Mumbai, especially in the first innings, he was ready to leave a lot of deliveries. He was keeping his front foot in the pitch of the ball and he was playing with a lot of discipline," he added.
"But when the spinners came in he was using his feet a lot and I think he played with a mindset, which is similar to what he used to play in first-class and international cricket," said Laxman.
"He has given a lot of importance to self-belief and it was great to see him coming in and expressing himself, and that's why he hit some outstanding shots, especially against Ajaz Patel. His shot over long off and over extra cover for sixes are probably the best shots of his innings," he added.
On Tuesday, Agarwal's name was inscribed on the honours board of the Wankhede Stadium following his brilliant performance in the second Test against New Zealand.
India defeated New Zealand by 372 runs in the second Test of the two-match series here at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday to seal the two-match Test series 1-0.
With this win, Team India reclaimed the number 1 spot in ICC Test rankings. Now Kohli's side will head to South Africa for three Tests and three ODIs, beginning December 26.
