IND vs ENG: ‘He was pissed off because he wasn’t picked’ — Abhimanyu’s father on selection snub

India ended the fiercely contested Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy campaign with a historic win at The Oval, securing a tense six-run victory over the hosts and levelling the series.

The heroics of Siraj, the brilliance of Gill, the rise of Akash Deep, and the flourish of Jaiswal were among the high points of the eventful series. But amid the glory, there was slight disappointment for batter Abhimanyu Easwaran and, in another case, for seasoned limited-overs pacer Arshdeep Singh. Both were expected to receive their maiden Test call-ups for India, but that was not to be.

What has now caught the attention of cricket fans are the comments made by Abhimanyu’s father.

Despite travelling with the squad for all five matches and performing well in India A games before the tour, Easwaran never made the playing XI. His father, Ranganathan Parameshwaran Easwaran, told Vickey Lalwani that his son was frustrated by the snub, especially when late injuries hinted at an opening.

“He was pissed off because he wasn’t picked. When I called him, he said, ‘Dad, I still haven’t found a place,’” Ranganathan said.

However, Easwaran quickly shifted focus to preparing for the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru. He acknowledged his long cricket journey, saying missing one or two matches wouldn’t break him.

Ranganathan shared that head coach Gautam Gambhir encouraged Easwaran, assuring him of a fair chance and a long run when selected, with the coaching staff echoing the sentiment.

“You’re doing the right things. You’ll get your turn and a long run. I’m not the one to push you out after one or two matches.”

The reassurance has kept the 29-year-old’s morale intact as he prepares for the domestic season.

Meanwhile, Abhimanyu, Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep, and Abhimanyu Easwaran have been included in the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy, starting on August 28 in Bengaluru. India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan was named as the side’s captain.

Abhimanyu remains relentless and persistent, waiting for his next big chance! (With inputs from Agencies)