Tanmay Agarwal enjoys the fruits of being well-prepared and staying calm

Tanmay Agarwal has been on the domestic circuit for more than a decade. Over the years, the opener has been among the consistent performers for Hyderabad.

This season, too, he has stamped his class, scoring 285 runs in five Ranji Trophy games, and followed it up with 317 runs in nine Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) matches. Riding on his 75 off 40 deliveries, Hyderabad shocked Mumbai in the first game of the Super League and then put one foot in the final with a 41-ball-73 against Rajasthan on Sunday.

While switching formats in a short span of time isn’t easy, a small tweak in mindset has helped the 30-year-old. “I feel that I was too anxious in the previous years. Like, if I have to give myself an answer about how the SMAT went ahead last year, I would say that it was decent, but I couldn’t deliver when it was required,” Tanmay told the The Hindu.

“I was always wanting to do something, rather than being calm and waiting for things to happen. So, I figured out that I have to work on this aspect, be calm and let things happen. I was well-prepared, and it was about letting my instincts take over. This approach has helped me handle the situation in the centre better,” he said.

But it’s easier said than done.

“I started meditating, and worked on my mindset. So, that quite helped me,” he said.

The left-hander did not consult an expert, but regular meditation sessions helped him calm the mind. “I could feel a really big difference in the mindset, when compared to last year,” he said.

Since last year, Tanmay realised that more than scoring runs, it’s important to play innings that would have an impact. He prepared accordingly and has got the desired results.

Tuesday’s matches: Madhya Pradesh vs Punjab (9 a.m., D.Y. Patil Academy), Mumbai vs Rajasthan (11 a.m., MCA Stadium), Andhra vs Jharkhand (1.30 p.m., D.Y. Patil Academy), Hyderabad vs Haryana (4.30 p.m., MCA Stadium).