For Agarwal, it's all about cashing in when the call comes

Mayank Agarwal has been in pursuit of a stint in the County Championship for a while. But when a call from Yorkshire came late August - "30th, or maybe it was the 31st", he says, unable to recall - he didn't expect to be on a flight to the UK that same week. The surprise call may have felt oddly familiar for Agarwal, who is currently preparing to lead Karnataka as they begin their 2025-26 Ranji Trophy campaign against Saurashtra on Wednesday.

"I'd been trying for a county stint for three or four years. A couple of years ago, Surrey had called, but the Duleep Trophy came in the way," he said on Tuesday. "This time it was sudden, but I didn't think twice. I'm glad I went. It was a lot of fun, and a very valuable experience."

In five innings, Agarwal made 201 runs for Yorkshire. The highlight was his match-winning 175 against Durham in his final innings, which helped Yorkshire steer towards safety in Division One of the championships. It helped make up for the two ducks in his first three innings.

"Getting runs in England felt great; it gave me a lot of confidence," he said. "The conditions and the way the game is approached are different - [like] the points system, [and] the tempo of play. I found that very refreshing. As an opening batter in England, it's not the easiest place to play. You'll get out early sometimes. You just have to make peace with it and move on. When I got in [against Durham], I made it big. That's what mattered."

These sudden calls from nowhere have somewhat been a recurring theme in Agarwal's career - like in December 2018, when the Indian team management needed a replacement for the injured Prithvi Shaw. Straight off a flight, Agarwal responded with a patient 76 on debut in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG as India won by 137 runs.

Earlier this year, Agarwal was in Oman when a call came from Andy Flower and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team management when they needed to sign a late replacement for the injured Devdutt Padikkal towards the end of the league stages of IPL 2025.

Agarwal slotted in seamlessly, playing two crucial knocks in a title-winning campaign. The most impactful was his unbeaten 23-ball 41 in Jitesh Sharma's company as RCB chased down 228 to beat Lucknow Super Giants, and with that, secure a top-two finish in the league phase.

"To come back and play for RCB, and to be part of the team that finally won the IPL, it was incredible," Agarwal, who had incidentally made his IPL debut with RCB back in 2011, said. "I was in Oman when I got the call. I had to rush back to do a trial before being picked, which I thought was very professional.

"It challenged me to see where I stood. I'm proud I could contribute, played some good innings, [and] had crucial partnerships, including one with Jitesh. I believe I made a solid impact."

That capacity to adapt has defined much of Agarwal's journey. His ODI debut in New Zealand came when Rohit Sharma was injured just before the match, while his Ranji debut in 2013 came out of the blue, when he was summoned from the age-group circuit when Robin Uthappa was injured on match eve.

"That's how it's been for me in this sport - getting a sudden call, having to perform right away," Agarwal said. "I'm proud that I've always been ready, and made an impact whenever those chances have come."

Now, as he begins another Ranji season - his third as captain - the butterflies are still there.

"I'm as excited as I was in my first season," he said. "We've prepared well - played the Thimmappiah Trophy, and had a good camp leading into the season."

Karnataka have been perennial contenders in recent years without quite managing to go all the way. They haven't won the title since 2014-15, but Agarwal feels this time the pieces are in place.

While R Samarth, the opener, has left to play for Vidarbha, and V Koushik, one of their key cogs in the pace attack, is now with Goa, Karnataka have welcomed Karun Nair back after of a title-winning run with Vidarbha. Then there's heightened expectation around R Smaran, who had an excellent first-class initiation in 2024-25.

"We have a great bunch of guys, talented players, some knocking on the doors of Indian cricket," Agarwal said. "Many have put in consistent performances, and are more confident now. For us, it's about putting in the hard yards early, gaining momentum, and running with it. We definitely have what it takes to go all the way."

The county stint, the IPL win, and the unplanned calls have all been part of a theme that runs through Agarwal's career: of staying prepared even when the opportunities haven't been in sight. That readiness is what he carries into another Ranji season as Karnataka chase an elusive ninth title.