There are some players in Indian cricket who consistently deliver in the domestic circuit but still struggle to break into the national playing XI. Abhimanyu Easwaran is a prime example. Despite being named in the Indian Test squad on multiple occasions—including the recent Australia series – he is still waiting for his international debut.
Now selected once again for the upcoming Test series against England as the third opener, Easwaran might continue to warm the bench, especially with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul ahead of him in the pecking order. According to his father, Ranganathan Easwaran, one major factor delaying Abhimanyu’s debut is his absence from the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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“Abhimanyu could have debuted for India a while ago if he had been given a chance to prove himself in the IPL. The tournament gives players a lot of exposure. Abhimanyu isn’t flashy – he doesn’t celebrate wildly after scoring hundreds and that may be working against him.
But if you look at his performance, he’s been incredibly consistent. With 7,674 runs in 101 first-class matches at an average of 48.87, he has the numbers to back his case. He’s also played in different conditions – New Zealand, Australia, England, and the West Indies—which gives him an edge over other contenders,” Ranganathan said.
He also shared insights into his son’s preparations for the England series, revealing the level of commitment Easwaran is putting in behind the scenes. “Abhimanyu gets up at 5:30 in the morning and trains for hours, facing fast bowlers with the red Dukes ball used in England. We’ve even arranged around two dozen Dukes balls to simulate match conditions. He’s practicing on a green pitch with red soil, which offers extra bounce and closely mimics English surfaces,” he added.
Rather than let repeated non-selection discourage him, Easwaran is using it as fuel to push harder. His father shared the batsman’s mindset: “Abhimanyu says, ‘Each time I’m left out, it gives me more drive. I don’t want to just knock on the door – I want to break it down. No one has the right to shatter my dream that easily.’”
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