Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has encouraged Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran to push for the No. 3 position in India’s red-ball lineup. Easwaran, a seasoned domestic performer, recently voiced his disappointment at being repeatedly overlooked while still awaiting his international debut.
Although in contention for recent overseas tours to Australia and England, Easwaran remained confined to the bench. He was close to making his debut during the opening Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series in Rohit Sharma’s absence, but the team opted for KL Rahul instead.
In the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, while the opening spots were secured, the No. 3 position remained unsettled following the reshuffle triggered by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirements. Across the five-match series, India alternated between Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in that role, leaving Easwaran sidelined once more.
“Dad, I still haven’t found a place,” Easwaran had reportedly said to his father during the England tour.
Ex-India skipper Sourav Ganguly stated that Easwaran still has an opportunity to vie for the No. 3 position. Sai Sudharsan managed 140 runs in six innings at that spot, averaging 23.33 and registering two ducks. Meanwhile, Karun Nair was elevated to No. 3 during the middle part of the series and went on to score.
“He has age on his side. I still believe he will get his chance. I feel batters like Yashasvi, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, have all got runs. It’s only the No.3 slot that looked a bit fragile. Maybe Easwaran will be tried there,” Ganguly told The Times of India.
“Gautam Gambhir promised my son a long rope”- Abhimanyu Easwaran’s father
Abhimanyu Easwaran has played 103 first-class matches, amassing 7,841 runs at an average of 48.70. He has captained the India ‘A’ team for a considerable period, including the recent two-match unofficial Test series against the England Lions, where he batted at No.3.
“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,” Abhimanyu Easwaran’s father said in an interview with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel (via India Today).
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.