Abhimanyu Easwaran To Make India Debut Soon? Gautam Gambhir Assures 'Long Run' In Test Team

Abhimanyu Easwaran has been a regular face in India's Test squads over the past year, travelling with the team for marquee series against Australia and England. Yet, the Bengal batter is still waiting to make his debut.

The 29-year-old, who has scored 7,841 runs in 103 first-class matches, had high hopes of breaking into the playing XI during the recently concluded England series, especially for the fifth and final Test. However, the team management chose to recall Karun Nair instead, leaving Easwaran sidelined once again.

Speaking to Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Easwaran's father, Ranganathan Parameshwaran Easwaran, admitted his son was disappointed with the snub. "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.'"

Ranganathan revealed that the omission did frustrate his son. "He was pissed off because he wasn't picked. When I called him, he said, 'Dad, I still haven't found a place.'"

However, there's a silver lining for the opener. According to Ranganathan, India's head coach Gautam Gambhir personally assured Easwaran that his chance will come and that he will be given a fair run in the team.

"Gautam Gambhir, when he spoke to my son, assured him, 'See, 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 has been waiting for 4 years. He's put in 23 years of hard work," he said.

With Gambhir's backing and consistent domestic performances, Easwaran's long-awaited India debut might be closer than ever.