Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Mayank Agarwal says he has worked upon a few weaknesses post the IPL

Guwahati (Assam): After a remarkable outing with the Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings, India opener Mayank Agarwal is all set to feature for Karnataka in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 starting from November 4, 2021.

The 30-year-old batter, who has been a vital part of the Punjab Kings setup since 2018, scored 441 runs in 12 IPL 2021 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 140.44 and an impressive average of 40.09.Reflecting on his performance, Mayank said in a release, "I am very happy with the performances I have put in for Punjab. Some big knocks against the top teams was a very satisfying feeling. There were a few learnings too, and that's something I have worked on post IPL."

Being a seasoned campaigner in the T20 format, Agarwal has scored as many as 3834 runs in 159 matches, including two centuries and 24 half-centuries. As the domestic season returns to action, the Bengaluru-born player will look to make the most out of the tournament and be in contention for a spot in Team India`s upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.

When asked about his role as an opening batsman and how he has matured over the years, the Karnataka batter said that he always tries to make the best use of the powerplay overs and enjoys taking responsibilities to bat through the innings."I have always tried to make the best use of the powerplay, and that was the role that was given to me. I am happy that I am able to do that for the side and also look to bat through whenever the opportunity presents itself. I enjoy taking the responsibilities to sometimes bat through the innings as well," he said.

"I have also realised that if I can bat 20 overs, then I give my team the best opportunity to score a massive score, and that's something I have been conscious about and looked to implement," he added.

Having missed out on the top four in the previous season, the champions of back-to-back seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20), Karnataka is looking forward to redemption. They take on Mumbai in their first match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 in Guwahati. Mayank will be seen opening with Devdutt Padikkal in the tournament.

He stated that it will be a good opportunity for both the players and they will look to play with freedom."It will be a good opportunity for us to give Karnataka the start it needs, and play with freedom and express ourselves," he signed off.