Agarwal makes Tigers pay

After being egged on to score a double by skipper Virat Kohli from the dressing room, Mayank Agarwal signalled that he had done the deed upon reaching his second Test double hundred, only to see Kohli (below) signal back that he should go on to make it a triple. Photo: AFP/Twitter

Sports Reporter

After getting a life on 32 when Imrul Kayes dropped a simple chance at slip on Thursday, Indian opener Mayank Agarwal made sure Bangladesh paid a huge price as the 28-year-old continued his terrific form and smashed his second double hundred in only his eighth Test to help the hosts take control of the first Test after the second day in Indore yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP/twitter

The right-hander was eventually dismissed for 243 off 330 balls, a superb innings studded with 28 fours and eight sixes, off the bowling off Mehedi Hasan Miraz. The visitors will hope that their batsman can take lessons from Agarwal on how to capitalise on the opposition’s errors, something that Bangladesh were unable to do in the first innings.
After the day’s play, Agarwal was asked whether he felt any gratitude towards Imrul for dropping a simple catch and the cricketer gave a confident reply: “That’s not in my control [getting a life] but I was thinking that if I have got a chance, I have got to make them pay. When you get a let-off, you make sure that you make them pay.”
Agarwal, who scored his maiden double hundred against South Africa at home in October after making an impressive Test debut in Australia in December last year, talked about the inspiration from skipper Virat Kohli. The Indian captain gestured him to go for a double ton from the dressing room as the opener brought up his 150.
When Agarwal crossed 200, Kohli’s inspiration continued as he showed three fingers, asking the opener to go for a triple century. Agarwal was disappointed for not being able to achieve that rare feat.

“I could have played longer. But the ball [to which he got out] was in the slot. The captain was backing you and he wanted the best for me, more than what he wants from himself. That is a big thing,” Agarwal added.