With the upcoming five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia kicking off in Perth on Friday, Agarawal offered words of wisdom to young Indian batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Devdutt Padikkal, who will be playing on Australian pitches for the first time during the tour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cVery honestly, it\u2019s about really getting into the fight and really embracing those moments, challenging yourself and saying that, \u2018I want to get into the fight, want to be in those tough situations\u2019. You would want to put yourself there and say, \u2018I can be the man that wins these moments and wins the game for the country\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMany of them have been there for three weeks plus. So, they would definitely have had time to get accustomed to the conditions. But I think when it now comes to playing games, it\u2019s just about believing in yourself, getting into that fight, and embracing those moments. It could be tough but if you can win a few moments for your team then, definitely you are putting your team ahead,\u201d said Agarawal in a telephonic conversation with IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Agarawal, who has 21 Test appearances so far, has backed Padikkal and K.L. Rahul to come good as top-order batters in Perth. \u201cI believe that momentum and batting rhythm is crucial for many batters. So, if they can get a start and get going, then both of them can really put big runs on the board for the team.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBoth of them are batters who are always hungry for making big runs. So, I\u2019m really looking forward to seeing how they start the series and I have a lot of confidence that they\u2019ll go out there and win situations and matches for India.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"The pace and bounce in Australian pitches can also benefit someone like fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna, feels Agarawal. \u201cWell, he did really well in the India A games and he looks in good rhythm. So, I think he\u2019s somebody who can have an impact; he\u2019s got that advantage with his height and he gets that bounce,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Friday\u2019s Test at Perth marks a rare occasion for two fast bowlers being captains of their respective sides \u2013 Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBoth of them are really thinking cricketers and obviously performers. So, they really believe in themselves, and their skills and both are thinking cricketers. So, they read the game really well, and that really gives them an edge over other cricketers,\u201d added Agarawal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also predicts the series to be a tight affair, where the team winning key battles will ultimately lift the trophy. \u201cWell, I think it\u2019s going to be a very tightly fought contest, there\u2019s going to be a lot of ups and downs, ebbs and flows, as there\u2019ll be a lot of different games and it will present each team with different opportunities to win the game,\u201d Agarawal said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think the team that seizes those moments will go on to win the series because the last four times India played Australia overall, India have won. So, that is going to be a big confidence boost and then obviously Australia playing at home is going to be massive from their view too.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With all the buzz surrounding the upcoming five-game series in Australia, Agarawal reminisced about his experience playing Test cricket at the MCG and being a part of India\u2019s historic first series victory on Australian soil, followed by the unforgettable 2020\/21 triumph.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think the team that seizes those moments will go on to win the series because the last four times India played Australia overall, India have won. So, that is going to be a big confidence boost and then obviously Australia playing at home is going to be massive from their view too.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> Highest tax paying cricketers<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n