Can Abhimanyu Easwaran relish Test dream? Sourav Ganguly opines
What's the story
Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly has backed Abhimanyu Easwaran to fill the No. 3 spot in the national squad. The endorsement comes as a ray of hope for Easwaran, who has been a consistent performer for Bengal and India 'A' but is yet to make his international debut. Despite making runs consistently at domestic levels, he has remained on the sidelines while 15 other players have made their debuts since his first call-up in 2021-22.
Unfulfilled potential
The frustration of waiting for a chance
Easwaran's wait to represent India has been long and frustrating. Even with opportunities arising, he was overlooked for spots by Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair during the recent five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England. This led to his disappointment as he expressed his feelings over a phone call with his father from England saying: "Dad, I still haven't found a place."
Endorsement
Ganguly's thoughts on the No. 3 position
As per Times of India, Ganguly, during a promotional event in Kolkata, said, "He (Easwaran) has age on his side. I still believe he will get his chance." He also noted that while other batters have scored runs, the No. 3 slot has been a bit fragile. This could mean that Easwaran might be tried out at this position in future matches.
Future plans
Easwaran is preparing for another shot at international cricket
Despite the disappointment, Easwaran is preparing for another shot at international cricket. He plans to head to Bengaluru to prepare for the season-opening Duleep Trophy tournament. He might also join Bengal in a pre-season tournament in Chennai or Puducherry next week. His father, a cricket fanatic himself, had earlier revealed that Gautam Gambhir assured his son of getting a long run in the team and not being dropped after one or two matches.
Career
Here are his FC numbers
Easwaran, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, has smashed 7,841 runs in First-Class cricket from 103 matches (177 innings) at an average of 48.70, as per ESPNcricinfo. The 29-year-old batter has smashed 31 fifties in addition to 27 tons. Easwaran owns seven half-centuries and six tons for India A in FC cricket. He boasts an impressive tally of 1,865 runs for India A at an average of nearly 40.