“No chance for him with KL Rahul, Shubman Gill set to open,” says Dinesh Karthik on Abhimanyu Easwaran’s chances for first Test v Bangladesh

Mumbai : Abhimanyu Easwaran has been included in the India squad for the first Test against Bangladesh, starting in Chattogram on Wednesday, as a replacement for injured Rohit Sharma but senior batter Dinesh Karthik feels the opener is unlikely to get a chance to play.

Abhimanyu is a classical batsman who plays for Bengal in the domestic circuit and has been knocking on the selectors’ door for the last couple of seasons and has been named as standby for a couple of series.

In January 2021, he was picked as one of five standbys for the home Test series against England and was also named as one of four standby players for the final of the 2019-2021 ICC World Test Championship and the away series against England.

However, the talented right-hander, who was born to a Tamilian father and Punjabi mother in Dehradun, is unlikely to get into the Playing XI as stand-in skipper K.L Rahul is likely to open the innings with Shubman Gill.

“Abhimanyu Easwaran has been around the circuit for some time now, has done really well and now deservingly gets his opportunity. He might not play in the XI because of K.L. Rahul and Shubman Gill…for sure they will open.

I can promise you he’s another guy who has been constantly banging at the door. He has been a very good servant for Bengal in the four or five seasons,” Karthik was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz in a report.

Karthik said Abhimanyu Easwaran is a very hard-working player and will continue to knock on the door for selection. “His dad is someone who has a fantastic ground in Dehradun, have fond memories of going there.

That kid is somebody who has worked so hard, I’ve seen him, I’ve played with him, practice with him. I have seen how hard he works,” Karthik said ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh.

In 70 first-class games so far, Abhimanyu Easwaran has scored 4841 runs at an average of 43.22 with 15 centuries and 20 half-centuries. The Bengal captain has the highest score of 233 and has done well in List-A and domestic T20 matches too.