Abhimanyu Easwaran’s quest for his first Test cap was prolonged as he was not selected in India’s playing XI for the first Test against England, which began on Friday, June 20. Instead, India chose to give a Test debut to Sai Sudharsan, 23, who just finished as the leading run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Abhimanyu Easwaran has been involved with the Indian setup for long years.
However, he has failed to break into the playing XI. The Bengal batter represented India in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series. However, he did not receive a game.
With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the longest format last month, many expected Easwaran to occupy one of the two positions. He was named captain of the India A squad, who recently played two unofficial Tests against the England Lions. The right-handed batter had two half-centuries, both coming in the second inning.
Last week’s intra-squad game in Kent, Easwaran and Sudharsan reportedly scored 39 and 38 points, respectively. However, it was the kid who received the nod on Friday.
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, as well as other fans, have accused the Indian team administration of “IPL favouritism”. Easwaran’s final domestic season scores were 127*, 191, 116, 19, 157*, 13, 4, 200*, 72, and 65. In his first-class career, the Bengal batsman has 7841 runs from 103 matches at an average of 48.70, including 27 hundreds and 31 fifties. Sudharsan, on the other side, is averaging 39.93 after 29 red-ball games.
Abhimanyu Easwaran deserves to be in the playing XI before Sai Sudarshan. Easwaran’s 27 first-class hundreds, almost 8k FC runs need to be respected. By dropping Sarfraz, someone who scored runs for India A in England, selectors made a mistake. They shouldn’t repeat it by keeping…
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 19, 2025
Abhimanyu Easwaran deserved a chance in 1st match. Bcci is treating him like untouchable.
Ipl can’t be criteria for selection in tests. pic.twitter.com/VgMFgtRBt8
— Mankirat Singh (@rock0010000) June 20, 2025
I feel bad for Abhimanyu Easwaran,he was not given a chance again today,before him Sai Sudarshan was given a chance,whereas Easwaran is consistently performing better than Sudarshan in domestic cricket.#INDvENG #INDvsENG #ENGvIND #ENGvsIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/8j2rcB2sJY
— kuldeep singh (@kuldeep0745) June 20, 2025
It’s just a social media pressure that’s why BCCI picked Abhimanyu Easwaran in the team.
He is never going to get a game for india in near future.He was benched in Australia and will countine to do so in other SENA countries.BCCI thinks he can only survive in Indian pitches. pic.twitter.com/XEQy2XW0Mc
— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) June 20, 2025
💔 Feel for Abhimanyu Easwaran — over 8000 runs in domestic cricket, 5 years traveling with the squad, waiting patiently. Still no Test debut. How long must consistency wait for a chance? 🇮🇳#INDvsENG #Cricket@BCCI @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/7Ew9CVIHtB
— Mʀ.Ƭʜᴏʀ⚡ (@ThorWonders18) June 20, 2025
What does it take for Abhimanyu Easwaran to make a debut? I can understand the obsession for Sai Sudarshan but Easwaran understands conditions better purely on experience!
— Charlie Harper 🇮🇳 (@suryatej_borra) June 20, 2025
He is in India’s scheme of things since more than 5 years now and always someone who from IPL comes into squad and plays ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran.
Indian team selects on basis of IPL and that is the reality. Sai Sudarshan is a great player and will have great career but… pic.twitter.com/I3A5Dt9YP0
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 20, 2025
Indian cricket seems to run on reputation rather than performance. #Sudarshan ahead of #Easwaran just tells you how you are rewarding your first class structure…If IPL is the way to selection then simply stop Ranji !!! #ENGvIND .. https://t.co/bq4Yzgjjde
— ImNazish نازش (@nazishrahman) June 20, 2025
Sai Sudharsan departs for a duck in first innings
Sudharsan walked out to bat in the 25th over after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 91 runs for the opening wicket. The southpaw looked a bit nervous in his short stay at the crease, which was ended by Ben Stokes in the 26th over.
The England captain bowled a delivery down the leg-side, and Sudharsan wanted to flick it away to get off the mark. However, all he managed to get was a faint edge that was taken smartly by a diving Jamie Smith. It was great planning from Stokes and England as they had deployed a fielder at leg gully just prior to the delivery.
Sudharsan tried to flick the preceding delivery, which was similar to the ball that eventually dismissed him, but on that occasion, he failed to connect. The Tamil Nadu batter scored a duck off four balls. This turned out to be the last delivery before Lunch as the visitors went into the break at 92/2, with Yashasvi Jaiswal batting on 42.
