Bhubaneswar : Abhimanyu Easwaran’s wait for a Test debut with Team India has now stretched over three years, despite his prolific performances in domestic cricket. The ongoing India vs England series at the Oval, where Easwaran was kept on the bench while Karun Nair was given an opportunity, has reignited debate on the fairness and transparency of Indian team selections.
Ranganathan Easwaran, Abhimanyu’s father, did not hold back his frustration at the current selection policy. He questioned the selectors for overlooking his son’s consistency in favor of others, especially Karun Nair. According to Ranganathan, Karun “wasn’t in the team during the period when Abhimanyu performed before the BGT. Karun wasn’t picked for the Duleep Trophy or the Irani Trophy. Abhimanyu scored close to 864 runs if you consider the period from last year to the current year”. He highlighted that Abhimanyu’s long exclusion comes despite significant contributions across red-ball tournaments.
Ranganathan further argued that the increasing emphasis on IPL performance in Test team selection undermines the value of consistent first-class cricket. “Some players jump the gun based on IPL performances which earn them a spot in the Test team. IPL performances should not be counted while selecting the team for the longest format. Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Irani Trophy should be the basis for Test selection”. He believes players with proven domestic red-ball records are being bypassed in favor of cricketers with IPL exposure, which disadvantages steadfast performers like his son—who does not feature in T20 sides or the IPL.
The disappointment has taken a personal toll as well. Ranganathan noted that “My son looks a little depressed, but that is bound to happen,” reflecting the emotional impact on players left out despite years of hard work.
In contrast, Karun Nair, although a talented batter with over 800 runs recently cited, was not active in select domestic tournaments and still earned a recall.This episode again spotlights India’s perennial debates over selection standards, with families of long-standing domestic performers seeking a more meritocratic process, based on consistent red-ball records rather than IPL prominence or past glories. The BCCI selectors have not publicly addressed these specific criticisms as of now.
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