Chosen but Not Played
Abhimanyu Easwaran was part of India's lineup for the five-Test series against England. He came in as a reserve after playing well for India in domestic games. Yet, he remained on the sidelines and did not play a single match.
His dad, Ranganathan Easwaran, recently highlighted the disparity in the manner in which the team management handled other players. He mentioned Karun Nair, who had opportunities despite poor performance, while Abhimanyu was not accorded the same support.
Assurance from Head Coach Gautam Gambhir
Ranganathan uncovered that head coach Gautam Gambhir had directly talked to Abhimanyu. As per him, Gambhir informed Abhimanyu that he was in the right direction and would receive a definite opportunity to play. Gambhir promised him that his stint with Team India would be long and stable.
Ranganathan uttered those words to instill confidence that his son would be provided with long-term coaching by the national team. He further stated that Abhimanyu has been holding out for a chance to play for the national side for the last four years.
Missed Opportunity in England
Ranganathan feels his son could have played in England. He stated that Abhimanyu plays well on grass surfaces. While making it clear that he was not complaining about Sai Sudarshan, he averred that Abhimanyu would have coped with the conditions better.
Sai Sudarshan batted in the one-down position and got 0, 31, 0, and 61. Ranganathan said that Abhimanyu has the experience of playing on green pitches, particularly at Eden Gardens, and could have played a longer innings.
Comparison with Karun Nair
Ranganathan also contrasted Abhimanyu's situation with that of Karun Nair. He observed that Nair was being given opportunities although he had never batted at number one and played predominantly lower down the order for Vidarbha. Abhimanyu, who is a top-order batter, on the other hand, was not selected for the final XI.
Abhimanyu initially became part of the national team in 2022. Yet, he has never been part of the playing eleven even though he has been part of the team since then.
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