'I am counting the years.....' - Abhimanyu Easwaran's father slams Team India selection process in ongoing ENG vs IND 5th Test

Ranganathan Easwaran, the father of the uncapped Indian top-order batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, has blasted over Indian selection process after his son has consistently been ignored for the playing XIs despite deserving. 

It is 950+ days since Abhimanyu Easwaran was first selected in the Indian squad, and he is still waiting for his first international cap. In the ongoing five-match Test series in England (Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025), the 29-year-old top-order batter has constantly been ignored, while the Indian team management has experimented with the no.3 batting position. 

Before the beginning of the last Test of the series at The Oval, the Indian team management went with Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair for the no.3 batting positions, two Tests for each. While both have been selected for the fifth Test, just like the Test series opener, the former is playing the no.3 batting role. 

See Also: 'Those were the right picks' - Former India coach backs key selections for ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Karun wasn't picked for the Duleep Trophy or the Irani Trophy: Abhimanyu Easwaran's father

Easwaran's father opened up that Nair wasn't in the Indian Test team during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, as well as in the last Duleep Trophy or Irani Trophy. 

Recently, Ranganathan told the Times of India, "I'm not keeping a count of the number of days that Abhimanyu has been waiting for his Test debut. I am counting the years; it has been three years now. What is the job of a player? It is to score runs. He has done that. People said he didn't perform in two India A matches during the last tour of Australia and didn't get into the team, which is fair enough. But Karun Nair 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." 

My son looks a little depressed: Abhimanyu Easwaran's father

Easwaran's father believes that Karun Nair's chance is fair enough, but why is his son ignored despite performing consistently? He has also questioned the selection process for Test cricket.  

Ranganathan added, "Then how do they compare? I don't understand. They gave a chance to Karun Nair. Fair enough, he scored 800-plus runs. The selectors have put faith in him. My son looks a little depressed, but that is bound to happen. 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." 

Abhimanyu Easwaran mostly missed the last domestic season due to his injury, while Karun Nair maintained his dream wild batting form that season. However, in limited chances, Easwaran shone with the bat last season, including scoring centuries in all three matches of the last Duleep Trophy season. In the present England tour, while Easwaran served for India A, he scored two second-innings half-centuries for his team against England Lions.