Abhimanyu Easwaran

Born in Dehradun, Abhimanyu Easwaran has always had a deep passion for cricket. At the age of 10, he moved to Kolkata to pursue better opportunities and lived with his coach, Nirmal Sengupta. Representing Bengal in domestic cricket, Easwaran's journey began with the Bengal U-19 team before progressing to the senior side. He made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2013-14 season, followed by his List-A and T20 debuts in 2015 and 2017, respectively.

Easwaran quickly established himself as a red-ball specialist, thriving in the longer format of the game. His consistent performances for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy earned him regular selections for the Irani Trophy and the Duleep Trophy, platforms designed to showcase top red-ball performers from the domestic circuit.

His impressive showings for India A further solidified his credentials, as he kept knocking on the door for an India call-up. In 2024, Easwaran was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the India A squad in their series against the touring England Lions. The year only improved for him as he later earned a place on the flight to Australia for the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Some say his lack of IPL exposure has hurt his chances. In a system where visibility often equals opportunity, Abhimanyu’s name has remained in the shadows. No flashy T20 cameos, no auction drama, just relentless first-class cricket, year after year.

But cricket, like life, has a way of circling back. In 2025, he is once again named in the Indian squad, this time for the England series under the fresh leadership of Shubman Gill. It's another chance, another door slightly ajar. The question now is - will it finally open? Or will Abhimanyu continue to carry drinks and hopes on the sidelines?

Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain - Abhimanyu Easwaran has done more than enough to earn his spot. He’s the symbol of old-school grit in an age of instant cricket. He may not have debuted for India yet, but he’s already a story of perseverance, and hopefully, not just a story of almost.