India unearth rare gem with ‘Virat Kohli clone’ Mayank Agarwal starring on debut on Boxing Day

After carrying two out-of-form openers in the first two Tests of the summer, India has unearthed a gem with a debutant taking over the MCG on Boxing Day to put Australia to the sword.

Mayank Agarwal of India plays a stroke on day one of the Boxing Day Test match between Australia and India at the MCG in Melbourne, Wednesday, December 26, 2018. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, IMAGES TO BE USED FOR NEWS REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE WHATSOEVER, NO USE IN BOOKS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AAP

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In November last year new Indian opener Mayank Agarwal achieved a feat only bettered by Australian legend Bill Ponsford when he scored 1000 first class runs in a month.

So it was fitting that when the 27-year-old debutant scored his maiden Test half-century at the MCG he turned towards the Ponsford Stand, where his teammates were sitting, and raised his bat.

Pressure creates diamonds and the need for runs at the top of the Indian batting order could have unearthed the tourists a true gem.

Mayank Agarwal celebrates bringing up 50 on debut. Picture: Michael Klein

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Argawal was given a Boxing Day Test debut amid a move written off as panic from Indian selectors who dropped openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahil after failures in the opening two Tests.

The Virat Kohli clone was only called to Australia after the second Test in Perth when wunderkind Prithvi Shaw, an India A batting partner for Argawal, was ruled out of the series with an ankle injury.

Despite a sleepless Christmas night Agarwal looked undaunted by the occasion, both for himself and his team, when sent in to bat on a greenish wicket which played more passive than looks suggested.

He got off the mark with a three, continued to make runs apace, in comparison to his opening partner who left the arena with just eight runs after a 66-ball stay.

Agarwal’s energetic effort came as little surprise to Indian cricket watchers who quickly brought up the opener’s stunning 27-day effort in November last year when he racked up 1,033 runs.

It was a haul in the Ranji Trophy, India’s equivalent of the Sheffield Shield, which thrust Agarwal’s name in to contention for a position which his national team has struggled to find regular run-getters.

Pat Cummins ultimately got the better of Agarwal, but not before he’d piled on a crucial half-century. Picture: Getty

His march to 1000 runs began with a massive haul of 304 not out against Maharashtra at Pune, which remains Agarwal’s biggest ever first class score.

In the 25 days which followed, he scores of 176, 23, 90, 133 not out, 173 and 104.

The record keepers could only find one month of first-class run scoring like it when, in December 1927 Ponsford compiled a staggering 1,146 runs in five innings with scores of 133, 437, 202, 38 and 336.

Agarwal headed towards the Ponsford stand again after gloving a ball from Pat Cummins down the leg side, right on the stroke of tea.

He was out for 76, which was less than Ponsford’s 110 when he first wore the baggy green.

But if their careers follow a similar path, India could finally have an opener they can lock in.

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Originally published as India unearth rare gem with ‘Virat Kohli clone’ Mayank Agarwal starring on debut on Boxing Day