As the 2017 Ranji Trophy season rolled out, Karnataka’s squad received a shot in the arm as India stars KL Rahul and Manish Pandey were relieved of national duty and were made available for selection with the state side. With Karun Nair also among the ranks, the team was primed for a successful campaign.

At the end of the group stage, Karnataka have remained unbeaten. But, it’s not these stars that have shone brightest. Instead an old familiar name – Mayank Agarwal – has grabbed the headlines. The 26-year-old opening batsman has been on a run-scoring spree this season, breaking records one ton at a time.

He has now reached the three-digit mark five times in four straight games. The flurry of big knocks also included his first-ever triple century. Thanks to the tally, he amassed 1064 runs in just 27 days in the month of November. He now sits on top of this season’s run-scoring charts and is 382 runs short of breaking India great VVS Laxman’s record of most runs in a Ranji Trophy season.

“I am not a numbers man,” Agarwal tells The Field. “To think of personal milestones is self-defeating. It weighs one down. If you’re thinking of the team, one is assured of support from the teammates and that helps maintain confidence. All the focus now is to win in the knockouts and take it one match at a time.”

Graphic by Anand Katakam.

With him leading the way with the bat, Karnataka has eased into the knockouts, where they will take on 41-time champions Mumbai in Nagpur.

“Taking the team to victory is the only motivation,” says Agarwal. “By god’s grace I have been able to contribute to the cause. I have only kept this thought in mind through the season. Luckily, the runs have followed.”

Challenging ride

Agarwal burst onto the scene as part of India’s 2010 U-19 World Cup squad. While, the campaign was disappointing, his performances were the silver lining to the otherwise dark cloud. Stints with India A followed, but he was never consistent enough to climb up the rung.

He has also featured in the Karnataka ranks since 2011. The journey, however, has hardly been a smooth one.

Known predominantly as a limited-overs specialist, it was only in 2013 that he first got a look in for the Ranji team. He was dropped as an opener during the 2014-15 season. He earned his place back and scored his first first-class ton in the 2016 season.

While, he has been an integral part of the team’s playing XI, he was never the star of the show. After all the years of struggle, Agarwal is on the cusp of achieving the elusive “break out season” that all Ranji players yearn to have under their belt.

And Agarwal has been a man transformed this season.

The standout feature of his batting this season has been the strike rate at which Agarwal has scored. Hovering around the 70-mark, the batsman, who alternated between opening and batting at number three, has hit a purple patch.

Long-distance running

Agarwal attributes the fine run of form, to a better lifestyle that includes a focus on long-distance running as part of his training.

Since being dropped from the team in 2015, Agarwal re-assessed his training style. And came back a fitter athlete. The routine has remained un-altered this season and the hard work is bearing fruit, he says.

“Speed and endurance are key to success in the longest format of the game,” says Agarwal. “It is long-distance running that has helped me improve that facet of my game. It helps one focus for longer duration on the field and helps in recovery time after a long innings.”

“I run around 6-8 kms three times a week in the off-season and during the season, I try and do it once before the match and once during,” Agarwal adds.

The endurance levels have been a telling factor in the manner in which he has gone about scoring his runs this season.

With added emphasis on fitness for selection in the national team, Agarwal’s training routine is likely to keep him in good stead if asked to pass the Yo-Yo Test that has earned notoriety among India hopefuls around the country.

Agarwal, though, shies away from all such notions. “One can only think about the factors that are in one’s hand. Thinking about such matters (India selection) are not what I want to focus on,” he says.

“Records and numbers or playing for India, these are all dreams for any cricketer. But, to let them weigh on your head is not helpful. I focus on my game and winning matches for my team.”

“It’s a great feeling to be mentioned in such scenarios, but end of the day it is all about hard work. It is what counts and all I can do is keep striving.”

Agarwal has come a long way since the U-19 World Cup. The terrain has been a rocky one for sure. He has put in the hard miles and the summit is within sight. All that is left is going the distance.