Ranji Trophy: Going through a purple patch, Abhimanyu Easwaran focuses on the present amidst India call-up buzz

Since 2021, Easwaran has been the top-scoring Indian opener in First-Class (FC) cricket, amassing 2,947 runs in 32 matches at an impressive average of 61.39 as of October 8, 2024.

Bengal’s Abhimanyu Easwaran drives Yash Dayal of Uttar Pradesh in the first round of the Ranji Trophy cricket match, in Lucknow. | Photo Credit: The Hindu/SANDEEP SAXENA

Abhimanyu Easwaran continued his run-stockpiling with a masterful unbeaten century during the Ranji Trophy encounter between Uttar Pradesh and Bengal in Lucknow, helping his team to three points in its opening fixture.

After a disappointing first innings, where he fell to a rearing delivery from Yash Dayal for just five runs, Easwaran returned with renewed intent in the second innings. His uncharacteristic aggressive play in a brisk partnership of 212 runs with Sudip Chatterjee took Bengal to a position of control on Day 4, from where it exerted pressure on the home team.

The highlight of Easwaran’s knock was using his wrists to navigate the extra bounce of the red soil pitch. The opener successfully accumulated runs through singles and doubles throughout the innings while also putting away any rank freebies the bowlers had to offer. 

“I was middling the ball well, and the conditions were a little challenging. So, I feel on a wicket like that, it is important to be a little proactive, and it worked out for us. After a good partnership, we wanted to make sure we put up a good score and try and get them out,” Easwaran told  Sportstar.

Currently riding a remarkable purple patch, Easwaran has registered centuries in each of his last four matches. He scored 309 runs in three Duleep Trophy matches, averaging 77.25 and including two centuries. He followed that up with a stellar performance in the Irani Trophy, where he scored 191 runs in the first innings for the Rest of India, where seven out of the remaining ten batters failed to reach 30.

Easwaran credits his experience with the India A side for his increasing consistency. Having played 26 matches for India A, he ranks joint-second in appearances, scoring 1,662 runs at an average of 42.61. He also captained the India A team during a series of unofficial Tests against the England Lions in Ahmedabad earlier this year. 

“I feel like I’ve learnt a lot from those India A tours. You get to play in different conditions, with and against many international cricketers. So there is a lot of learning there,” he reflected.

He was also part of the travelling squad during India’s tour of England in 2021 and was designated as a standby player. 

“It is a matter of pride to be part of the Indian cricket team. Winning at Lord’s was a very special moment. There is a lot to learn from the senior cricketers and the guys who have done well at the international level. I keep chatting with them about how they’re preparing or what they were thinking during a particular innings,” Easwaran shared.

Easwaran’s latest performances in domestic cricket have made him a standout candidate for national selection as the Indian Test team inches closer to a third consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) Final. 

Since 2021, Easwaran has been the top-scoring Indian opener in First-Class (FC) cricket, amassing 2,947 runs in 32 matches at an impressive average of 61.39 as of October 8, 2024. 

He has earned a reputation in the domestic circuit as a gritty batter who rarely gives away his wicket cheaply, evidenced by his dismissal rate of 101.8 balls per dismissal—the best among Indian openers with at least ten FC matches over the last four years.

While he is generating buzz for a potential call-up to the national side ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, Easwaran remains focused on his immediate contributions. “I have only been doing what the team has required me to do. My focus is solely on applying myself on the wicket,” said the Dehradun-born batter.

With an impressive tally of runs behind him and a wealth of experience in red-ball cricket, Easwaran is poised to make an impact at the highest level whenever the opportunity arises.