Since Abhimanyu Easwaran received his first Test call-up for India in 2022, 15 players have made their international debut. As the team undergoes a transition in the longest format, India’s five-match Test series against England may well mark the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket.
During the month-and-a-half tour, nearly every player who was given a chance stepped up, except for just three—Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Abhimanyu Easwaran—who didn’t feature in the playing XI.
At 29, Abhimanyu Easwaran has remained on the sidelines since his initial call-up in 2021–2022, continuing to await his opportunity to represent India on the field.
While Abhimanyu Easwaran has traveled with the squad as a reserve, around 15 players—including KS Bharat, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and others—have earned their India debuts.
Despite scoring heavily for Bengal and India A, Easwaran has yet to break into the playing XI and remains on the bench.
Age is on his side — Sourav Ganguly urges Abhimanyu Easwaran to stay hopeful
Many expected Abhimanyu Easwaran to get his break following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. But instead, Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan have surged ahead to claim the No. 3 spot in India’s playing XI.
However, former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes Abhimanyu Easwaran journey is far from over.
“He’s young and has time on his side. I still think he’ll get his opportunity. We’ve seen players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja perform consistently. The only spot that seems unsettled is No. 3. Maybe Easwaran will be tested there,” Ganguly told the Times of India.
Arun Lal, former Bengal coach who’s closely worked with Easwaran, encouraged the opener to remain positive.
“He’s a true team player, an excellent fielder, extremely fit, and works as hard as anyone in the country,” Lal said.
Recently appointed vice-captain of the East Zone squad for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2025, Easwaran will head to Bengaluru to prepare for the tournament. If selected, he will be determined to prove himself and fight for a place in India’s two-match home Test series against the West Indies this October.
