The wait to fulfil his childhood dream of representing India continues for Abhimanyu Easwaran, after the latest snub for the men who matter when a new look team was picked for the fresh WTC cycle starting in the Caribbean. But, the domestic stalwart is unfazed.
Easwaran has been one of the most consistent performers with the bat in the Indian domestic circuit for the past few years. The right-handed batter is close to playing 100 First Class matches (88) and a rock solid 47.24 average in FC cricket, including 22 centuries and it’s a surprise that he is yet to don the Indian colours at the highest level.
The talented batter was in sublime form in the previous Ranji Trophy season scoring 798 runs in eight games at an average of 66.50.
Easwaran though has no complaints and just wants to continue the hard work and is not going to slow down anytime soon in the journey to fulfil his dream to represent the Indian team.
In an exclusive conversation with News18 CricketNext, Easwaran opened up on his mantra when things don’t go in his favour and said that he learns from every setback in life to get better.
“My mantra has always been the same it’s Never Give Up. I’ve been trying for all these years, to achieve my dreams of playing for the country and I’m not going to stop anytime soon. The key is to maintain that self-belief. Think it’s about being positive and learning from every setback. I’ve surrounded myself with a strong support system, my coach, my teammates, my friends and family, I think that helps me getting perspective and regaining that confidence. And I think I’ve had a good mindset, and I want to keep working hard on improving my skills and staying mentally resilient these are things which are crucial to just bounce back stronger after any snub or after a period of time that doesn’t go in my favour,” Easwaran tells News18 CricketNext.
The right-handed batter also has a good record in white-ball cricket when it comes to domestic cricket. He has scored 3376 runs in 78 List A matches at an average of 46.24. However, it seems like he has been pigeon-holed as the red-ball specialist which is a reason his name doesn’t come into consideration when it comes to white-ball set-up.
Easwaran admitted that his aim is to establish himself as a Test cricketer but at the same time, the focus has been to perform consistently in both formats and wants to be a versatile player who can play in both red and white-ball cricket.
“I don’t think so because my primary focus is always been establishing myself in Test cricket, but I believe my performance in domestic cricket over the last 10 years is proof that I can also play other formats. I have a really good record in white ball cricket also and I’ve been scoring consistently in white ball cricket. I have focused on maintaining consistency in both formats, be it in red or white and I think it’s about demonstrating my ability to adapt and contribute effectively to whatever team I play for. I am a versatile player and I aim to be like that,” Easwaran said.
The 27-year-old also talked about whether being tagged as a Test specialist has worked against him, like Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari who didn’t get many opportunities in white-ball cricket to show their credentials be it IPL or the ODI team.
The Bengal batter said that playing all three formats is important for any cricketer. But he admitted that every individual has a different journey and he aims to perform consistently well in both red and white ball cricket despite being called a Test specialist.
“I think again every player has their own journey, it’s unique and opportunities in different formats may vary. It’s important to focus on individual strength and contribute to team success and just make sure to just seize the opportunity whenever it’s presented. IPL definitely serves as an additional platform for players to display their abilities or catch attention. I think some players may be labelled as Test specialists, but that doesn’t mean they cannot excel in other formats.
“IPL witnessed numerous instances like this, where Test players have shown their prowess in the sort of format of the game and I think that is what the tournament demands the versatility and the ability to adapt quickly to changing situations. This is what cricket really is you have to perform under every situation or any situation which is why I strongly believe that exposure to all three formats is important for any cricketer,” he said.
The top-order batter was part of India’s Test squad for the WTC Final 2021 and England tour as a stand-by player. A year later he was selected as a replacement for the injured Rohit Sharma on the Bangladesh tour in 2022.
Easwaran said that travelling with the Indian team and the guidance of head coach Rahul Dravid and the senior stars has played him shape his approach towards the game.
“Rahul sir has always been my idol since childhood and spending time with him has been a surreal experience for me. I’ve spent time with him from India A times. I think the emphasis from Rahul sir or the senior players has been to just work hard consistently. To have dedication and discipline. I think they’ve stressed on the importance of embracing opportunity and learning from experiences and just remaining focused on the process rather than the outcome.
“I think their guidance on technique, mindset or I think professionalism also provided valuable insights that have shaped my approach to the game. I think there have been a lot of changes in my game since I’ve been with the Indian team, I think just to be around the best team in the world has really helped me improve as a cricketer,” he added.
He further revealed having conversations with batting maestro Virat Kohli about maintaining mental composure when switching formats.
“The Bangladesh tour was a very valuable learning experience, both on and off the field. I had conversations with seniors especially Virat bhai which revolved around batting adapting to different conditions, maintaining that mental composure, and switching between formats because it’s hardly any time between the series. I think the key takeaway would be to stay patient, trust my skills and focus on building partnerships and just contributing to the team’s success. And I think just spending time or learning from the best players in the world was I think or really good experience for me and I will cherish that forever,” Easwaran said.
Meanwhile, things didn’t turn out well for Easwaran in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy but he is confident to bounce back in the upcoming Deodhar Trophy as he has trained well for it at the NCA.
“Duleep Trophy was a bit underwhelming but I think it’s important to embrace both the highs and lows, especially in a game of cricket. I mean, we do not get the desired result, but I see it as an opportunity for growth and learning. And I think I’m looking to improve the areas where I faltered and not repeat the same mistakes. I think I’ll be working closely on those areas and I have been and I’ve always really been never giving up and I am determined to make a strong compact and contribute to the team’s success in the Deodhar trophy. And I’ve been at NCA the past four days, getting ready for the Deodhar trophy. I have had some good sessions here. The preparations have been really good and looking forward to the trophy,” he asserted.
Deodhar Trophy will be played at three venues in Puducherry, Easwaran talked about whether playing matches at the same place gave any advantage to any team.
“I mean, every venue has its pros and cons, playing at the same menu, obviously provides an opportunity to get accustomed to the conditions. I mean understanding the pitch better and adapting to strategies accordingly but again, it also adds pressure as the team needs to perform consistently in a similar environment. it will be interesting to see how teams are happening to the conditions and now everybody handles the pressure but it will be really good because we have similar conditions but again if there isn’t too much of a break between games then the conditions will change even if we will play on the three grounds. It will be about adjusting and whoever does it well will play better in the tournament,” the Bengal batter concluded.