Ironies. Just four days ago, Wisden's Indian Verdict, condemning Ajit Agarkar's wayward bowling performance, said tongue-in-cheek that he "bowled like a batting allrounder". Well, today he batted like one. Agarkar rose to prominence, in fact, as a batting allrounder. He made a triple-century in the Giles Shield – Mumbai's prestigious school tournament - which marked him out as a precocious batting talent, and Sachin Tendulkar was so impressed with his batting that he reportedly gave Agarkar a pair of batting gloves. Agarkar showed further evidence of his batting abilities during the India A tour of Pakistan in early 1998, where he made his debut first-class century – a sparkling counter-attacking knock of 109 not out against Peshawar. It would take him four-and-a-half years to make his next century – also 109 not out, by some divine act of synchronicity – and what an agonising wait it was.

The Bombay Duck jinx – seven Test zeroes in a row against Australia, five of them during India's tour to Australia in 1999-2000 – just has to be one of cricket's great mysteries. It wasn't that Agarkar looked an incompetent batsman or had some basic technical defect which kept getting exposed – he just kept on getting out without scoring. By the time the third duck came around – when he made a pair at Melbourne – it almost seemed pre-destined. Most Indians knew nothing of his earlier exploits in age-group cricket with the bat: to them, he was a hapless joke, and because he had been touted as a potential allrounder, an object of ridicule.

Agarkar had his moments with the bat in one-day cricket – he made India's fastest-ever half-century in one-day cricket, against Zimbabwe in 2000-01, from just 21 deliveries – but in Tests, he was always "A bowler who can bat, ha ha". Even Geoff Boycott ridiculed him on air when he came out to bat in the first innings of this Lord's Test, pointing out that Anil Kumble should have batted before him in the batting order, as he averaged 17 to Agarkar's 7.8.

The refreshing thing about Agarkar's innings wasn't just the runs he made, but the manner in which he made them. As a lower-order strokeplayer in one-dayers, he is an outrageous hustler, and that innings of 67 off 25 balls against Zimbabwe was marked by inside-out cover-drives and hoicks to midwicket. In this innings, though, he played immaculately straight, with as many as 34 of his runs, and six of his 16 boundaries, coming in the V, in contrast to some of his better-pedigreed team-mates - the three straight fours he hit against Andrew Flintoff in one over yesterday were strokes any frontline batsman would have been proud of. He played resolutely and purposefully, and did not flash outside the off stump or try to hoick the spinners, and showed none of the impetuosity which sometimes marked his play in the past. It seemed that he actually believed that he could bat like a proper batsman.

Although comparisons have been made with England's Chris Lewis, who made his one and only Test century in a lost cause at Madras in 1992-93, this match was still just about breathing when Agarkar strode out to bat. India were 170 for 6, but as long as VVS Laxman was at the crease, Agarkar was fighting for survival. The first 60 runs of his innings were scored under the highest pressure possible, when one wicket would effectively end the match, as Laxman's eventually did. Agarkar stayed until the end, and even after he reached three figures, he did not panic and do something silly.

It would be premature to assume that India's search for an allrounder has ended. Agarkar has shone briefly in the past, and will have to be more consistent before one can accept that his ghosts have been exorcised. Also, he was almost certain to be dropped for the second Test until he played this innings, after failing to impress with the ball at Lord's. It's no good remembering how to bat if he forgets how to bowl. India need him more as a bowler than as a batsman.

But at least one thing is for sure in this uncertain world of cricket: they won't be calling Ajit Agarkar the Bombay Duck again.

Amit Varma is assistant editor of Wisden.com in India.

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