Abhimanyu Easwaran Ready for Test Chance, Says Kanitkar

Abhimanyu Easwaran first donned the India A jersey in July 2018, and since then, he has played an impressive 30 first-class matches for the side — the most by any player. Despite being part of five Test squads, including the one in England earlier this year, the elusive Test cap hasn’t arrived yet. At 30, the Bengal opener is once again back with India A for two four-day games against Australia A, continuing the grind.

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Kanitkar’s Confidence in Abhimanyu Easwaran

India A coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar believes Easwaran remains highly motivated. “Abhimanyu is an experienced player. He has captained Bengal and played a lot of cricket at higher levels. He knows what to do if opportunities don’t come. He is mentally very strong, prepared, and batting really well,” Kanitkar said ahead of the Lucknow clash.

Strong Form With the Bat

Kanitkar praised Easwaran’s current form and mindset, highlighting how the opener continues to push himself despite setbacks. “He is in a good place right now in terms of batting and managing his cricket. He’s a very good player who has delivered for India A many times. I think he is ready for the challenge now,” Kanitkar added.

Lucknow Connection

Lucknow holds special memories for Easwaran. In just three first-class games at the venue, he has scored a century in each, averaging a remarkable 117.75. Last year, he smashed 191 in the Irani Cup for Rest of India and followed it up with an unbeaten 127 in the Ranji Trophy at the same ground, performances that led to a Test squad call-up.

Still on the Fringe

Few Indian cricketers have stayed this long on the fringes of Test cricket without making a debut. Yet Easwaran’s consistency keeps him in contention. As he prepares to open for India A against Australia A, all eyes will be on whether his patient wait finally ends with a Test debut during the upcoming home series against the West Indies next month.

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