Agarwal doubles hosts' delight in Ranji Trophy semi final

If Wednesday was all about anchoring a faltering ship, Thursday was about ensuring it reaches the shores of safety. Karnataka, yet again, were rocky and appeared in danger of capsizing but captain Mayank Agarwal exhibited exemplary courage and character for a second day in succession to steer the hosts to a position of strength against Saurashtra in their Ranji Trophy semifinal here.

Adorning his fancied attacking attire after covering himself in defensive cloak as it was the need of the hour on the opening day, Agarwal hammered a brilliantly constructed 429-ball 249 (28x4, 5x6) to power Karnataka to 407 all out at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Agarwal, the last man out during a marathon 626-minute gem, was quickly out to marshal the troops and his in-form pacers responded well to reduce Saurashtra to 76/2 at stumps.

Just like the opening day where wickets kept falling around him, Agarwal saw the well-set Sharath Srinivas (66) depart on the 10th ball the wicketkeeper faced on the morning and all-rounder K Gowtham follow him soon after with a needless shot. Karnataka, at 255/7, were in danger of collapsing to a below-par score as Saurashtra pacers, armed with the new ball, went for the kill.

Agarwal though had other ideas. Right from the start of the season the 31-year-old has stressed about playing attacking and confident cricket as the way forward for Karnataka seeking a return to its glorious past. He continued to walk that talk with a superb double century that will certainly rank as one of his finest in first-class career.

Aware that he had only his seamers for company and Saurashtra pacers were still getting the ball to do plenty of things, Agarwal figured attack was the only plausible option. He continued to constantly step out of the crease for the seamers but unlike on Wednesday where he did that only to smother the swing, he was blasting the ball down the ground for fours and sixes on Thursday.

It was a calculated assault at its best. Despite the field being spread out, Agarwal found boundaries and then let his pacers take guard just for a few deliveries. The eye for boundaries, the farming of strike and the constant pep talk to V Vyshak, Vidwath Kaverappa and V Koushik was phenomenal. It was a classic captain’s knock, his last 125 runs coming in the company of pacers.

To their credit, Vyshak, Kaverappa and Koushik responded brilliantly to the challenge. Vyshak (6, 19b) forged a 23-run stand for the eighth wicket, Kaverappa (15, 42b) batted out of his skin to stitch a potential game-changing 91-run partnership while last man V Koushik hung around for a 38-run association until Agarwal got himself run out while attempting a non-existent second.

The second run was a bad call — among the very very few he made in a superb knock — and Agarwal knew it halfway itself while returning to the danger end. He sprinted with all his might and hoped for a miracle but with the ball from the deep being flat and good, he was found well short. He kicked himself in frustration knowing he had more in tank to carry on. Sadly he couldn’t but walked to a huge round of applause from the small group of fans, his team-mates and Saurashtra players.