Smriti Mandhana to Mayank Agarwal, Indian Batters on a Roll

Prithvi Shaw, Smiti Mandhana and Mayank Agarwal have been scoring big and breaking record in the last few weeks.

Prithvi Shaw, Smiti Mandhana and Mayank Agarwal have been among the run-scorers in the last few weeks.

(Photo: The QUint)

After six matches for the Western Storms, the highest run-scorer in England’s domestic women’s T20 league is Smriti Mandhana. Her team is well on its way to the Finals of the KIA Super League and a majority of their wins this season can be attributed to the Indian opener who has already scored a century and also smashed the fastest T20 half-century in the last two weeks.

Among the other innings you may have missed out in the last fortnight, is a double century by India ‘A’ opener Mayank Agarwal against South Africa ‘A’ and young Prithvi Shaw’s smashing 136 off 196 in the same match.

So while Virat Kohli ponders upon his openers’ conundrum for the second Test, here’s a look at what the many other ‘Indian’ openers have been doing in the middle.

Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana has hit a purple patch in England with scores of 48, 37, 52 not out, 43 not out, 102 and 56. To put these numbers in context, she’s the highest-scorer in a league in which the second-placed player has scored almost half of her runs. And there’s more:

• Mandhana’s 102 against Lancashire Thunder is the season’s highest score
• She hit a 19-ball 50, equalling the record for the fastest T20 fifty
• Her 84.50 average in six outings is the best in the league
• She tops the table in strike rates in the league as well, with 183.69
• She has hit three half centuries so far, the most in the league this season
• She’s the only centurion of KSL 2018
• Her 19 sixes are the most for by any player so far this season.

So, it’s safe to say, at least one Indian opener has acclimatised to the English conditions.

Mayank Agarwal in action against South Africa A.

Mayank Agarwal

The Ranji Trophy’s highest run-scorer last season Mayank Agarwal, has clearly picked up from where he left off. After a below-par IPL, the Karnataka batsman has scored three centuries and a half century in the last two months playing for India ‘A’ against the A teams of England and West Indies.

Currently playing South Africa ‘A’ in Bengaluru, the opener smashed a double hundred in India’s first innings after the visiting side was bowled out for 246. Mayank’s 220 is his second 200+ score in the last year after he smashed an unbeaten 304 against Maharashtra in November in a Ranji Trophy game.

After becoming the first Indian cricketer to score 1000+ runs in a domestic season, Mayank was expected to get an India call-up against Sri Lanka in March but MSK Prasad could not find place for him in the squad that played the stop-gap tournament before the IPL. Reiterating his credibility and his application to the Indian team, the 27-year-old opener scored 151, 23, 112, 112 and 40 during the India A tour of England this summer.

Prithvi Shaw scored a century in India A’s first innings against South Africa A in Bengaluru.

Prithvi Shaw

While Mayank is fighting the clock to earn his India debut, there are few who doubt Prithvi Shaw will be in the Indian dressing room sometime soon. Those claims of course are given a fresh push with the kind of performances Shaw had put together this summer.

Months after leading the Indian under-19 team to the finals of the U19 World Cup, Shaw was recruited in the India A team that toured England this summer. Opening along with Mayank, Shaw smashed three centuries, including a 188 against West Indies ‘A’ in a first-class game.

On his return home, Shaw smashed 136 off 196 balls during a 277-run opening stand with Agarwal against South Africa A in Bengaluru. Shaw hit 20 boundaries and a six en route his seventh first-class hundred.

I played according to the merit of the ball. When I saw ball to be it, I did simply that. I have been an aggressive batsman since my school days and I play my game as such.

Prithvi Shaw