Ranji Trophy: Mayank Agarwal adds to his rich record at Pune with gritty century
Minutes after Shreyas Gopal was named Player of the Match against Maharashtra, Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal wore a look of quiet satisfaction.
Not only had he extended his remarkable batting run in Pune — where he boasted a Test hundred and a Ranji triple hundred before this game’s century — but he had also guided Karnataka to a hard-fought draw that earned the team crucial three points in its Ranji Trophy Group B clash.
“Very happy with three points. It was a good game — pretty interesting wicket as well,” Agarwal said on Tuesday. “We were very pleased to get a 13-run lead in the first innings. We had plans to have another go at Maharashtra in the second innings, but the way they bowled after tea, they put us in a spot of bother. We couldn’t play the free-flowing cricket needed to set up a result. Still, very happy with how we played.”
Agarwal, who scored a patient 103, acknowledged that the morning session’s cautious approach was decisive. “If we had lost a couple of wickets early, they would have been all over us,” he said. “That partnership between Abhinav (Manohar) and me really put us in a great space. It allowed us to consolidate and ensured Maharashtra couldn’t push for a chase.”
For Karnataka, the draw was a relief and a reinforcement of its consistency, while for Agarwal, it was another happy memory at one of his favourite venues.
Published on Nov 11, 2025
