Abhimanyu Easwaran. (Pic Credit - X)
Young Indian player Abhimanyu Easwaran’s cricketing journey is a tale of grit and patience. Despite a stellar domestic record, including consistent performances for Bengal and India A, the domestic doyen continues to wait for his maiden India cap.
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Known for his composure and ability to play long innings, Easwaran, who has been grinding it out in domestic cricket for over a decade, got his share of luck after being part of the Indian squad on quite a few occasions but luck eluded him every time, as he remained on the sidelines.
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In January 2021, Easwaran was first named as one of five standby players in India's Test squad for the home series against England. A few months later, in May 2021, he was again named as one of four standby players for India’s Test squad for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and the subsequent away series against England.
Two and a half years later, Easwaran was named as a replacement for the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad during the two-Test series against South Africa in December 2023. He was once again called up, this time as the third opener for the five-Test
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
(BGT) against Australia.
When India head coach Gautam Gambhir lost his cool in Australia
The 29-year-old has been a prolific run-scorer in domestic cricket, amassing over 7,600 first-class runs in 101 matches. With an impressive average of nearly 50, his tally includes 27 centuries and 29 fifties, reflecting his consistency and ability to deliver big innings at the domestic level.
Easwaran got the BGT call at the perfect time as he has scored five centuries in his last six first-class matches, showcasing remarkable consistency, including an unbeaten double ton against Bihar in Ranji Trophy.
His latest hundred came against Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy before leaving for India A tour to Australia. Prior to that, he hammered a commanding 191 against Mumbai in the Irani Cup, further cementing his reputation as a big-match player. Earlier in the season, Easwaran displayed his prowess with two fine century knocks in the Duleep Trophy.
In Rohit Sharma's absence for the first Test, Easwaran seemed a natural choice to step in as opener. However, his below-par performances against Australia A proved costly. In the two A-games, Easwaran managed scores of just 7, 12, 0, and 17, leading to the team management overlooking him for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Instead, Easwaran’s India A teammate,
Devdutt Padikkal
, who impressed with 151 runs in four innings, was preferred and included in the final XI. This decision highlighted the management's lack of faith in Easwaran, despite his domestic heroics, leaving him on the sidelines once again.
With runs in abundance under his belt, Easwaran's exclusion raises questions about selection policies and competition in Indian cricket. For a player who epitomises perseverance, the wait for an Indian cap seems perpetual, leaving fans and critics wondering what more he must do to make the cut in the playing XI.
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