Twitter Reactions: Mayank Agarwal stands tall for India with a scintillating ton in Mumbai

India ended the day at 221/4 after finding themselves in trouble at 80/3 at one stage.

By Aditya Gajanan Kukalyekar verified

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Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal
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Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal. (Photo Source: Twitter/BCCI)

Team India has done well to end Day 1 of the Mumbai Test at 221/4 against New Zealand. Mayank Agarwal was the hero for the hosts who batted entire day to remain unbeaten on 120 to bail the team out of trouble from 80/3. Ajaz Patel was the best bowler and the only wicket-taker for New Zealand even as the talking point of the day was Virat Kohli’s controversial LBW dismissal.

Earlier, the start of play and the toss was delayed due to wet outfield and patches on the bowlers’ run-up. Multiple inspections took place before the toss took place at 11:30 AM IST while play began at 12 PM IST. Virat Kohli returned to action and won the toss only to opt to bat first. India were dealt with injury blows as Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma were ruled out while the New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson also missed the Test.

Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal started well for India negating the early swing on offer thanks to all the rain in the lead up to the Test match. The duo took minimal risks to score runs while Tim Southee once again impressed with his lines troubling the batters. Bu he couldn’t break the opening partnership.

A change in footwork was visible in Gill’s batting as he stood very much outside of his crease while facing Kyle Jamieson to negate any movement to the bowler. It worked wonders for him as well as he played some gorgeous strokes. Mayank, at the other end, was watchful to start with and then opened up to play his shots.

Crazy and controversial 16 balls

New Zealand were in desperate need of a wicket as India were 80/0 and Ajaz Patel provided the breakthrough dismissing Gill on 44. It was a flighted delivery from the left-arm spinner at which Gill poked his bat only to edge it to the first slip. Ajaz wasn’t done yet and came back to strike twice in his very next over. Cheteshwar Pujara misjudged the line after he stepped out only to see the ball turn and disturb his stumps.

His miseries in 2021 continued after bagging a five-ball duck. Controversy followed his dismissal in the same over as Virat Kohli reviewed an LBW call against him. His forward defence had led to ball hitting the pads but he was confident that he had hit it with the bat first. But snickometer made things tricky for the third umpire and he concluded that ‘ there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision.’

The ball was always going to hit the stumps and the ball tracking confirmed it only to see Kohli stunned. He was always confident that he had hit the ball before it thudded onto his pads and fumed while going back. Without snickometer, it was seeming that the ball indeed hit the bat. India were reduced to 80/3 in the space of 16 balls and New Zealand were bossing the proceedings now.

Mayank Agarwal stands tall

However, Mayank Agarwal had different ideas. He watched all the happenings from the other end but didn’t deter and kept batting in the same fashion. Shreyas Iyer joined him in the middle but it was Agarwal who dominated the 80-run stand. Some gorgeous cover drives unfurled from his bat as he looked compact in his technique. Just when India seemed to recover from the three blows, Ajaz struck again to send back Iyer for 18.

That proved to be the last hurrah for the Kiwis on the day with Wriddhiman Saha proving to be a brilliant support for Agarwal. The opening batter continued to bat with patience and also punished loose balls. In the process, he got to his fourth century of his career in Tests and the delight on his face proved how much the knock meant to him.

After reaching the ton, Mayank again dropped his head and quietly went about his job eyeing an even bigger knock. He ended the day unbeaten on 120 with 14 fours and 4 sixes to his name. Saha did well to hang around with him and mustered 25 runs as India reached 221/4 in 70 overs and will be looking to post a big total on the board.

New Zealand, on the other hand, would be ruing a missed opportunity to dominate the proceedings as only Ajaz Patel threatened every time he came on to bowl.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

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