Mayank Agarwal drank liquid on flight thinking it was water: Reports 

Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal, who was rushed to a hospital after falling ill just before his New Delhi-bound flight was about to take off, reportedly consumed a liquid which he mistook for water. The out-of-favor India Test opener has lodged an official complaint over the matter.

On Tuesday, January 30, Agarwal was taken to a hospital in Agartala as he complained of irritation in his mouth after drinking a liquid from a pouch on an IndiGo flight, thinking it was water.

Speaking to news agency PTI in Agartala, Kiran Kumar, SP West Tripura, said:

"Mayank Agarwal, an international cricket player. Now he is stable and his vitals are normal. But his manager has lodged a specific complaint under NCCPS (New Capital Complex Police Station) to investigate the matter.”

Elaborating on details of the incident, Kumar said that Agarwal’s manager informed them that after consuming the liquid on flight, the cricketer experienced sudden irritation in his mouth. He couldn't talk as well and so was brought to ILS hospital. The batter also had swelling and ulcers in his mouth, but otherwise his vitals are said to be stable.

Releasing an official statement, Manoj Kumar Debnath, manager, Business Development at ILS Hospital confirmed that the 32-year-old was experiencing some oral irritation and swelling on his lips.

"After being assessed by the consultants of the hospital in emergency, he was admitted. For now, he is clinically stable and is being constantly clinically monitored," Debnath said.

The right-handed batter, who scored 51 & 17 in Karnataka’s 29-run win over Tripura in Ranji Trophy 2024, is unlikely to feature in the team's next match against Railways in Surat. Vice-captain Nikin Jose is expected to lead the team in the next game.

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What IndiGo said about Mayank Agarwal incident

IndiGo issued an official statement over the incident involving Agarwal. The airlines said in their press release, as quoted as saying by PTI:

"IndiGo flight 6E 5177 operating from Agartala to Delhi returned to origin due to a medical emergency onboard. The passenger was off-loaded and was rushed to the hospital for further medical assistance. The aircraft took off again for its destination at 1620h.”

32-year-old Agarwal has played 21 Tests and five ODIs for India, scoring 1,488 and 86 runs respectively. He has four hundreds and six fifties in the Test format at an average of 41.33, with a best of 243.

In first-class cricket, the right-handed batter has played 98 matches, scoring 7,430 runs at an average of 45.86, with 17 hundreds and 40 fifties.