Long-distance runs, meditation helped me improve: Agarwal

Pune, October 10 

Centurion Mayank Agarwal underlined his mental discipline after his 108 helped India reach 273/3 at stumps on Day 1. “I’m very happy that I could get back-to-back hundreds, that’s a good feeling,” Agarwal said. “The team is in a good position... Winning the toss, batting first and with one batsman short, it’s a good thing to make runs. There were periods when runs weren’t coming easily, they bowled some tight spells and didn’t let us score.”

On his approach towards batting and the work that went behind it, Agarwal said: “Plenty of long-distance running, meditation and working on my game... It was always about mental discipline.” 

Rabada tried to sledge but I was in my zone: Pujara

South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada tried to disturb Cheteshwar Pujara’s concentration today by sledging, but the tactic hardly bothered the senior India batsman. Rabada said a few words to Pujara after dismissing him for 58, perhaps letting a bit of his frustration out as he was unlucky not to get him out on zero due to a dropped catch.

Asked what exactly Rabada had said, Pujara replied: “I can’t remember what he said. But he (Rabada) is someone who always likes to say something to the batsmen. As a batsman, I always know that he (Rabada) will try to disturb my concentration, not just him but any bowler who passes a comment, so I try and avoid listening to what they say.”

“If you are in your zone, you hardly hear what they are trying to say as you are too much focussed on what you want to do as a batsman. So when you are in your own zone, you miss out what they are saying,” Pujara said, avoiding any controversy. — Agencies