Young opener Abhimanyu Easwaran was ignored in the five-Test match series against England despite getting picked in the Shubman Gill-led India side for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, despite impressing in the two India A games before the Test series.
As the series progressed, the chatter around his inclusion in the playing XI gradually died down but Easwaran reckoned that his long wait to make his India debut might finally end at The Oval.
After the fourth Test match in Manchester ended in a draw, India had the chance to avoid a series loss in the final Test in London. This led the team management to consider different player combinations for the playing XI.
But once again, Easwaran missed his spot, and understandably, he was very upset. His father, Ranganathan Parameshwaran Easwaran, shared in a YouTube interview with Vickey Lalwani that his son was "pissed off" after the final snub.
However, during a phone call with his father, Easwaran made it clear he wasn’t going to dwell on the disappointment. Instead, he quickly shifted his focus to the upcoming Duleep Trophy, determined to stay on track with his long-term goal of playing for India.
"My son will fly to Bengaluru to prepare for the Duleep Trophy. He'll spend 10-12 days there, return to Dehradun for a few days, and then head back. He was disturbed after not being picked for the fifth Test, he was expecting that call. I told him, 'Son, you have lived your dream.' He replied, 'I understand. I've lived my dream for 23 years, and not getting picked for one or two matches won’t shatter that.'"
Pressed further about the call, Ranganathan added: "He was pissed off because he wasn’t picked. When I called him, he said, ‘Dad, I still haven’t found a place.’"
Ranganathan also revealed that despite not getting a chance in England, what has kept his son motivated has been his chat with head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has assured him of an opportunity in the Indian team and that he would get a longer rope when he makes his debut and won't be judged instantly based on 1-2 games.
"Gautam Gambhir, when he spoke to my son, he assured him see you you're doing the right kind of things you'll get your turn you'll get a long run. 'I'm not the one who will push you out after one or two matches. I'll give you a long rope.' That's what my son communicated to me. The entire coaching team assured him that he'll get his due, he'll get his long run. That's the best I can say. My son is waiting for 4 years, He's put in 23 years of hard work," Ranganathan added.