"Are You Willing To...": Padikkal Adviced By Ex-India Star Ahead Of 1st Test

Young India batter Devdutt Padikkal will need to embrace the challenges that will come his way if he gets an opportunity in the first Test against Australia starting here on Friday, feels his senior Karnataka teammate Mayank Agarawal. Padikkal, who was initially not a part of India's jumbo 18-member squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, was asked to stay back after A team's unofficial Tests Down Under following a blow to Shubman Gill's left hand ahead of the series opener. If Gill remains sidelined, Padikkal is in line to take field for the second time in the format, having made his debut against England in March.

“They (Indian players) have had time to prepare. The good thing was (that) a lot of the guys went and played India A games,” Agarawal, who was in a similar situation on the 2018-19 tour when he was called up for the second Test at Melbourne, told PTI on Thursday.

“They have had at least three weeks to prepare themselves for the conditions. But it then now boils down to the mindset — are you willing to get into the fight? Or are you willing to embrace that fight? If he can get into that mindset — which he has; he has got a lot of skill, a lot of flair (and he) works hard on his game." In fact, Padikkal looked one step closer to being certain of playing the first Test with BCCI's official handles sharing a video of his experience of being back with the national side one day before the game.

“It feels really surreal to be honest. The intensity of the practice sessions were quite high. You feel that challenge; you will feel that everyone is ready, raring to go for the big series ahead,” Padikkal said.

“So, it is always pleasure to have training sessions with the Indian team because it feels as big as the match. Hopefully, it will translate to the game as well." "I am glad that I am getting this opportunity, and hopefully I can make it count,” said Padikkal, who scored a fine 88 in the first unofficial Test at Mackay.

Agarawal backed the Indian batters to banish their recent struggles in Australia.

“They have prepared in the best way they can or they should, according to them, which we must trust. They are going to face challenges, definitely. It's a place where cricket is played really hard,” said Agarwal, part of India's 2-1 win on the 2018-19 tour.

“You want to put yourself out there with a mindset of saying, ‘I want to be in that tough situation, or, I want to be in a situation where the chips are down and I can find a way and win the situation and win the game for the team',” he said.

Agarawal backed his long-time mate KL Rahul, who is set to open in place of Rohit Sharma in the opening Test, crediting him for his flexibility in the batting line-up.

“The real question here is that whenever you are going to play for India, when you are going to represent your national team, there is going to be pressure. The situations have been (different), where he has been asked to open and he has been asked to play different roles,” he said.

“I give him credit that he is somebody who is adapted to playing everywhere. We have seen that he has done really well overseas. He is very calm and he is very collected. He just needs to go about doing his routines, going about playing the way he plays and just stay calm,” he said.

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