Mayank Agarwal’s absence from the Ranji Trophy game against Mumbai opened the door for others to prove themselves, said Karnataka captain Karun Nair, who praised the India Test opener’s success and his consistent hard work. Karnataka wouldn’t get the service of Mayank as he will leave for New Zealand with the A team on January 10.
“Mayank is big player, but it (his absence) opens an opportunity for someone else to come and grab their chance,” said Nair, who has played six Test matches for India.
In this short-international career, Mayank has already smashed two double centuries and Karun Nair, who has watched him from close quarters since his early days, on Thursday paid the tribute.
“I think, Mayank has always been a hard-working cricketer, so I think it was high time that the hard-work paid off,” Nair said. “It is just to do with his hard-work that he (Agarwal) is doing well now and I don’t think he has changed much at all. It is just that with the runs that he got, his confidence also improved and then as a batsman confidence plays such a big role, it is all down to his hard work (rather) consistent hard-work that he is reaping the rewards.”
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On the other hand, Nair too is a talented player and he has a triple hundred to his name for India but he last appeared in Tests in March 2017 against Australia in Dharamshala.
“For me it is about playing each game at a time and trying to contribute as much as I can to Karnataka and try to win games for Karnataka,” he said. “And that is what I am trying to do this season and looking forward to try and contribute more with the bat and as captain, so that we can go on and win games and all of us are looking to win the Ranji Trophy, so that’s our ultimate goal.”
“Not really, because it is important for me first to concentrate on what’s happening over here and whatever has to happen, I have no control over it. My only focus is to do well here and contribute for Karnataka,” Karun Nair concluded.
