India’s Mayank Agarwal was one of the notable players who were snubbed by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises during the mega auction. But, like every other season, injuries lead to franchises delving into the available pool of players and picking the best possible replacements. At times, they warm the bench but a few walk into the playing eleven. Such was the story of Agarwal who was roped in as Devdutt Padikkal’s replacement. Months after RCB’s maiden IPL trophy win that ended 18-year drought, Agarwal opened up on going unsold in the mega auction and how he dealt with the snub.
"I gave myself 6-8 hours after the auction. Yes, thoughts came; I haven’t got picked, this could have been, that could have been but I was brutally honest with myself: ‘yes, you aren’t picked.’ There have to be a few places you need to work on, and if it’s even just a couple of things, why not fix them now for the coming season. Rather than leaning on auction dynamics, I just kept asking, what can I improve right now? I listed points with my batting coach and started immediately," Agarwal said on RCB Podcast.
RCB asked Agarwal to prove himself in open nets and practice games
When Padikkal got injured, he was called for a trial by head coach Andy Flower. He was not handed the contract straightaway but had to prove himself. But, the experienced campaigner Agarwal was happy for the opportunity.
"Andy was very straightforward: ‘This is a selection match; make it or break it.’ I loved that. It put me in a spot where I had to perform, exactly like a real game. I did well, the coaches were happy, and they felt, ‘This guy is ready; we don’t need to spend time preparing him for the game.’ Being told to come for open nets and practice games, not straight into the squad, was refreshing. It meant I had to earn it the same way I’d have to in a pressure situation," the top-order batter said.
Agarwal’s mini-season with RCB
Agarwal's best knock came against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) where he remained unbeaten for a 23-ball 41 in the run chase of 228. He shared a 107-run partnership for the fifth wicket with stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma.
He got four opportunities, the same as he got at Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2024 season. For RCB, he scored 95 runs from four innings at a strike rate of 148.43, considerably higher than his previous few IPL seasons. In the final against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he contributed with an 18-ball 24 cameo, featuring a six and two fours.