Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has finally earned his maiden call-up to the Indian Test team for the upcoming two-match IND vs SA Test Series. This comes after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to a finger injury sustained during the second ODI.
Easwaran, a skilled opening batsman, has been a regular for India A for years, even getting brief stints with the main team. However, despite frequent involvement, his international debut remained elusive. His journey started in 2013 with his Bengal debut.
Abhimanyu Easwaran has long awaited his Test debut, He’s faced some disappointments. Last year, he was named the backup opener for Bangladesh Tests without Rohit Sharma but didn’t play.
Easwaran is slated to captain India A in their second four-day game, coinciding with the Boxing Day Test. He missed the first match due to fitness concerns, but after regaining full health, he finds himself on the cusp of his Test debut with Gaikwad’s injury creating an unexpected opportunity. Easwaran further solidified his case with an impressive 61-run knock on the second day of the practice game.
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His first-class numbers speak volumes – a whopping 6,567 runs at a stellar average of 47.24, laced with 22 centuries. Easwaran has consistently delivered the goods, even while facing the constant pressure of needing big scores to remain in contention. His unwavering persistence might finally pay off, bringing him within touching distance of the coveted Test cap.
South Africa Test squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Dean Elgar, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Keegan Petersen, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne.
India Test Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk) KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Abimanyu Easwaran, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna.
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