Mayank Agarwal had a terrific debut in Australia in the Boxing Day Test match when he thwarted Australia’s new-ball bowlers and then Nathan Lyon to make 76. He followed that up with a 42 in the second innings. In the next Test, he went on to make 77 in the first innings.
His 42 at Melbourne remains his highest second innings score while he has made three scores in excess of his debut knock of 76 in the first innings. Two of them have come in this series against the Proteas when he made 215 and 108 at Vizag and Pune.
Mayank has been in stellar form in the first innings of Test matches. Only once in six has he scored anything less than a half-century in the first innings of his Test career so far. His scores in this innings from debut read: 76, 77, 5, 55, 215 and 108.
Read: Agarwal hits ton as India dominate S. Africa in 2nd Test
On the contrary, his second innings numbers wane. He averages just 17.25 in the second innings in contrast to a whopping 89.33 in the first. All of his five 50-plus scores have also come in the first innings.
Mayank’s Record in Tests | ||||||
Team Innings | Innings | Runs | Average | Balls faced | 100s | 50s |
1st team innings | 6 | 536 | 89.33 | 979 | 2 | 3 |
2nd team innings | 4 | 69 | 17.25 | 191 | 0 | 0 |
Given how the Indian team has been dominant, Mayank has only played four innings in the second essay in Tests, so the sample size is still low, but it appears as though he might have a pertinent weakness in the second innings of matches.
In the list of top-order batsmen (positions 1-7) with lowest second innings averages since Mayank’s debut, he comes ninth.
Batsmen with lowest 2nd innings averages since Mayank's debut | ||||||
Player | Innings | Runs | Average | Balls faced | 100s | 50s |
DA Warner (AUS) | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
TB de Bruyn (SA) | 4 | 31 | 7.75 | 67 | 0 | 0 |
DM Bravo (WI) | 4 | 26 | 8.66 | 66 | 0 | 0 |
KC Brathwaite (WI) | 5 | 41 | 10.25 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
T Bavuma (SA) | 5 | 45 | 11.25 | 95 | 0 | 0 |
MS Harris (AUS) | 6 | 63 | 12.6 | 122 | 0 | 0 |
SO Hetmyer (WI) | 4 | 52 | 13 | 98 | 0 | 0 |
JD Campbell (WI) | 5 | 67 | 16.75 | 112 | 0 | 0 |
MA Agarwal (INDIA) | 4 | 69 | 17.25 | 191 | 0 | 0 |
RJ Burns (ENG) | 9 | 183 | 20.33 | 381 | 0 | 1 |
On the contrary, take in players with best averages in the first innings since his debut (min 300 runs) and Mayank comes second only to Steven Smith.
Best 1st innings Test averages since Mayank's debut | ||||||
Player | Innings | Runs | High Score | Average | 100s | 50s |
SPD Smith (AUS) | 4 | 527 | 211 | 131.75 | 2 | 2 |
MA Agarwal (INDIA) | 6 | 536 | 215 | 89.33 | 2 | 3 |
TWM Latham (NZ) | 5 | 359 | 161 | 71.8 | 2 | 0 |
LRPL Taylor (NZ) | 5 | 340 | 200 | 68 | 1 | 1 |
Q de Kock (SA) | 6 | 399 | 111 | 66.5 | 1 | 3 |
CA Pujara (INDIA) | 6 | 371 | 193 | 61.83 | 2 | 1 |
M Labuschagne (AUS) | 6 | 314 | 81 | 52.33 | 0 | 3 |
TM Head (AUS) | 8 | 346 | 161 | 43.25 | 1 | 1 |
RJ Burns (ENG) | 9 | 364 | 133 | 40.44 | 1 | 2 |
Smith averages a stunning 131.75 in the first innings in 4 Ashes innings and has two centuries and a half-century. Meanwhile, Mayank has fared nearly as well, making five scores of 50 or more including a double ton in six innings.
Read: What spurred Mayank Agarwal's penchant for big knocks
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Punit Paranjpe
