Ranji Trophy quarter-final: Agarwal's 70 goes in vain against Vidarbha
Mayank Agarwal was the standout batter for Karnataka on Day 4 against Vidarbha in the 2024 Ranji Trophy quarter-final. The experienced campaigner slammed his 42nd fifty in First-Class cricket. His 70-run knock was laced with nine boundaries and a solitary six. Despite his valiant effort, Karnataka were simply no match for Vidarbha. The visitors folded 243 as Vidarbha registered a 127-run victory.
A valiant effort from Agarwal
After scoring a duck in the first innings, Agarwal was determined to make a mark in the second outing. However, he could only add nine runs to his overnight score of 61*. The Karnataka captain forged a brilliant 101-run partnership with Ravikumar Samarth. However, after the latter's departure, Agarwal added 26 runs with KV Aneesh before falling to Aditya Sarwate.
A decent outing for Agarwal
Agarwal had a decent outing in the 2024 Ranji Trophy. He slammed 468 runs from seven matches at an average of 39. He hammered two centuries alongside three fifties this season. He finished the campaign as Karnataka's third-highest run-getter. Devdutt Padikkal with 556 runs from only four matches, is the leading run-scorer for Karnataka this season, followed by Manish Pandey with 480 runs.
Highest run-getter in 2022-23 Ranji Trophy
Agarwal was in sensational form in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy and he similarly started this season. He amassed 990 runs in nine matches at an impressive average of 82.50. The opener slammed three centuries and six fifties last season. He was the highest run-getter in the 2022-23 Ranji Trophy. Only Saurashtra's Arpit Vasavada was the other batter to touch the 900-run mark.
His illustrious First-Class numbers
Playing his 101st First-Class match, Agarwal has compiled 7,588 runs while maintaining an average of 45.43. Besides 17 centuries, the Karnataka skipper has also slammed 42 fifties in this format. Agarwal has been one of the most consistent batters in the Ranji Trophy in recent times. He has featured in 21 Tests for India, compiling 1,488 runs at 41.33 (50s: 6, 100s: 4).
Vidarbha reach Ranji Trophy semi-finals
Vidarbha compiled 460 in the first innings thanks to Atharva Taide's century and nineties from Yash Rathod and Karun Nair. In reply, Karnataka folded for 286, as Nikin Jose and Samarth slammed fifties. Yash Thakur starred with 3/48. In the second innings, Vidarbha were bowled out for 196 as Vidwath Kaverappa finished with 6/61. However, chasing 371, Karnataka fell short courtesy of Sarwate's 4/78.
