The former Indian all-rounder chats with t2 about the attitude of Virat Kohli’s men, his match-turning spell in Adelaide, winning the 2007 ICC World T20, the prawns of Calcutta, his passion for golf, and much more!

After England’s convincing win at Headingley, how do you see the Test series taking shape? England have the momentum now, but do they also have the edge?

It looked like India had the edge after Lord’s. Things change very quickly. England played really well (at Headingley), India did not have enough answers, especially after getting bowled out for 78. Do England have the edge? Probably, just a little bit. England will be the more confident team (for the fourth Test), knowing that they won a Test they had to win in the third match. But we have seen that if India bowl well, the English batting, apart from Joe Root, is still very suspect.

There were plenty of questions after the Lord’s Test about India’s attitude and how the aggression had intensified. Did you feel that the team had gone overboard or was it just an extension of their competitive spirit?

Lots of people keep asking the (attitude) question, but nothing has come from the authorities, be it the umpires or the match referee. Nobody has been fined, nobody has been cautioned. So, clearly there is nothing that has crossed the line. You might think Team India are being over-aggressive, I may think they are not. That is a personal opinion. The only thing I feel about aggression is, as long as it is helping your game, it is good to be aggressive.

India’s win at Lord’s was one of the most memorable on the list of Test triumphs overseas, a list that cannot be complete without the sensational result in Adelaide in December 2003. You took six wickets in the second innings at Adelaide to turn the tide of the match. Would you rate that as your finest moment in an India shirt?

Yes, I think so. I had been on the 1999-00 tour to Australia and I knew how difficult it was to beat Australia in Australia at that point. To go back on another tour and win and have a role to play in that win makes it the most satisfying moment. The personal contribution is what makes it the most memorable win for me, but even if I had not contributed, just beating Australia in Australia would have made it one of the top wins of my career.

Getty Images

In 2007, you were a vital part of the Indian contingent that went to South Africa and became inaugural World T20 champions. Several senior players had sidestepped that tournament so there were not a lot of expectations from the team. Yet you all made history. What was that experience like?

I was about 28 or 29 at that point, so the other senior players (who skipped the tournament) were probably a bit older than me. Honestly, we did not know what to expect (from ourselves) because we had not played too much of T20 cricket.... But things just seemed to fall into place. A number of players who did well at the World T20 went on to have terrific careers for India. Rohit Sharma is a fine example. Gautam Gambhir, for instance, had a terrific role in the final. And, of course, it was the start of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy. So, a lot of positives came out of that tournament.

You spent a few years playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders during the initial seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). What are your fondest memories of the city?

I had actually been to Calcutta a lot before the IPL, too. I had played the P. Sen Trophy for either Mohun Bagan or East Bengal. I should not get the name wrong! I think it was East Bengal. But it is always nice to be in Calcutta. People are so passionate all the time. While playing for India, Eden Gardens provided one of the best atmospheres you could be a part of.

In the IPL, we perhaps could not do as well as we should have, but the support was incredible. And Sourav Ganguly was playing for us, so that certainly helped!

I also remember that whenever we came to Calcutta to play for India, a friend of Sachin Tendulkar’s would get these massive prawns. The prawns looked like pomfrets, they were so big! Obviously, the prawns would be cooked the Bengali way and that was something to look forward to every time.

Apart from cricket, you are also into golf. Tell us about that and some of your other hobbies that help you zone out?

I spend a lot of time at home. I have a young son and with Covid around, I do not get too much time between matches to spend time with my family.
I used to play a bit of squash and table tennis, but not any more. But I am grateful to golf, I have made a lot of friends playing golf. It gives me a nice escape. You are still outdoors, you are still walking, so you are getting enough exercise.

Finally, we know that you are a big Manchester United fan. What do you make of the return of Cristiano Ronaldo?

For the last seven or eight years, every time there is a transfer window, there is talk of Ronaldo coming back. But yes, it is really exciting. He may not be the player he once was, but he is still scoring goals. He is a winner and it is like a fairy tale, isn’t it? For a superstar, someone who made his name at United, to come back is incredible. I cannot wait for his debut.

Watch Ajit Agarkar on Extraaa Innings, SONY Sports’ LIVE studio show, from 2.30pm followed by the 4th Test of India’s tour of England, LIVE at 3.30pm on SONY SIX & SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) channels till September 6

Ajit Agarkar

Fact file

⚫ Agarkar began his cricketing journey as a batsman under the watchful eyes of Ramakant Achrekar. Midway through his teens, he made the shift to bowling and eventually became a bowling all-rounder for India.

⚫ Agarkar debuted in both Tests and One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India in 1998, playing over 200 international matches for his country before his retirement in 2013.

⚫ Agarkar is India’s third highest wicket-taker in ODIs with 288 scalps to his name, behind only Javagal Srinath (315) and Anil Kumble (337).

⚫ Agarkar also holds the record for scoring the fastest 50 by an Indian in ODI history, which he managed in just 21 balls en route to an explosive 67 not out against Zimbabwe in 2000.

⚫ In his last season as a first-class cricketer, Agarkar led Mumbai to win the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy, making valuable contributions in the quarter and semi-finals.

Rapid fire

Getty Images

⚫ The English batsman you found the most challenging to bowl to: Michael Vaughan

⚫ One current England player you would love to see in the Indian team: James Anderson, but only if he is bowling in England

⚫ Your favourite English city: London

⚫ Your favourite co-commentator: I think you should ask them if they enjoy working with me. I have only been doing commentary for a few months, so cannot take one name right now

⚫ One thing you cannot travel without: My speakers