RCB Podcast: Mayank Agarawal reveals emotions he felt on going unsold in IPL Auction

2025 was a dream year in the IPL for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they put an end to a wait of 18 long years to lift the trophy for the first time. However, the title coming home was a culmination of a special journey for Karnataka’s very own, Mayank Agarawal, who also witnessed a dramatic turnaround of events.

From going unsold in the IPL 2025 auction to coming in as a replacement for an injured Devdutt Padikkal and from thereon, going on to lift the glamorous silverware, it was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride for Mayank.

Talking on the latest episode of Big Basket presents RCB Podcast: Bold & Beyond, Mayank opened up on his initial feelings of not being picked at the auction and then he revealed what followed thereafter. Mayank said, “Very honestly I wasn’t picked initially for the 2025 IPL but as soon as the season got over I gave myself a couple of days but I couldn't really get myself to say that I have to switch off. I have this time you know, I'll do these things but when I sort of gave myself these couple of days, I sat and thought about what are the things that I need to improve on during this time for me to have a better chance in the coming season.”

Shedding light on how Agarawal decided to hone his skills after the auction, he revealed, “First of all, I think I'm a very hard person or I'm very hard on myself. So when I didn't get picked in the IPL, I remember we were playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali and I was watching the auctions and I didn't get picked and I sat down and I gave myself 68 hours. We were in the middle of a tournament that evening and there were thoughts about okay you know I haven't got picked in the IPL and this could have been or that could have been. Few of those thoughts did come. Yeah. But I was brutally honest with myself and I said, "Mayank, yes, you aren't picked. But there has to be something or there are definitely places that you need to work on or you should work on, that will probably help you be where you want to be in the following season. Rather than thinking about it, I haven't got picked due to auction dynamics, I felt that it could have been so many other things.”

He further added, “But just relentlessly thinking on what I can improve or why not work on a couple of things, I took those couple of days off, made a plan spoke to RX Sir, my batting coach, about what is that we need to work on or he asked me what is that you feel you need to work on. So I listed out a few points and then they started. So in many ways, I didn't really switch off.”

Highlighting his training regime, Mayank said, “I just made a routine and said this is what I am going to be following to the t. I would wake up at 5:30 in the morning. I would train with Huzefa at Outfit and then go to RX sir, finish the skill sessions and after that say the plan for the day if I've achieved all of what I had to achieve for the day at around 3 or 3:30 then I would go back home and relax and then sort of spend time with the family but also give myself half an hour before I sleep."