29-year-old Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a proven performer in domestic cricket over the years. Easwaran has been part of India's Test squad but he is yet to make his debut in the format. On Australia tour, he was close but scoring just 36 runs from four innings against Australia A went against him. Even in Rohit Sharma's absence, KL Rahul was promoted to open and Devdutt Padikkal was picked as no.3 batter. After senior trio's -- Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin -- retirement, the opener has a chance to make his Test debut on England soil.
As Easwaran is set to lead India A against England Lions, his father Ranganathan Easwaran feels that the opener would've made his Test debut a long time ago had he played in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Abhimanyu would’ve made his Team India debut long back had he got a chance to showcase his prowess in IPL. The tournament makes a big difference due to greater visibility. Abhimanyu is not a flamboyant player and doesn’t run around the ground after scoring centuries. These things go against him," Abhimanyu's father told TOI.
“Abhimanyu has been a solid performer, which is evident from his tally of 7,674 runs in 101 first-class matches at an average of 48.87. His experience across conditions in New Zealand, Australia, England and the West Indies further sets him apart from other contenders," he added.
How Abhimanyu is preparing for England tour
Ranganathan opened up about Abhimanyu's preparations ahead of the England tour. He is not just gearing up to face the pacers but spinners on fourth and fifth day as well.
“Abhimanyu wakes up at 5.30 AM and spends hours facing pacers. We’ve organised two dozen duke balls to ensure no gap in preparation. He’s batting on a green wicket with red soil because the bounce enables him to prepare extensively for English conditions. Abhimanyu is also engaging in specialised training to face spinners on the fourth or fifth day. He is studying every bowler in the English setup to handle every situation," Ranganathan further added.
Abhimanyu to lead India A in England during IPL playoffs
Abhimanyu will be leading India A against England Lions while the eliminator is played in Mullanpur as the first game of the series commences on May 30. The series opener will be played in Canterbury. After the IPL 2025 final on June 3, new Test captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the India A squad. They are likely to play in the match at Northampton which will begin on June 6. Sudharsan is another batter in the Test squad being considered for a spot in top order..