3 reasons why Abhimanyu Easwaran (and not Ruturaj Gaikwad) should be India's back-up Test opener
With a century in the Irani Cup, Abhimanyu Easwaran has further added to his claim for a spot in the Team India squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Easwaran's key competitor will be his Rest of India's opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is also reportedly in the fray for the series.
Despite the presence of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, the selectors will still look to keep a backup opener on the roster. The final name might be announced during India A's unofficial Test series against Australia, beginning on October 31. Meanwhile, BGT will take place from November 22 and run until January.
In recent years, Abhimanyu Easwaran has been close to making his international debut, but is yet to achieve that dream. Easwaran was one of the standby players for the 2021-22 Test series against England and World Test Championship 2021 final. He also served as Rohit Sharma's replacement in the Test series against Bangladesh in December 2022.
On the other hand, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a limited-overs specialist and current captain of Chennai Super Kings in IPL. Gaikwad has been leading the Rest of India team in the ongoing Irani Cup amid reports of him being a frontrunner for a place in the BGT.
On that note, let's take a look at why Easwaran should be favored ahead of Gaikwad for the BGT 2024-25.
#1 Superlative start to 2024 domestic season
The 29-year-old has had an exceptional start to his 2024 domestic season. He amassed 309 runs in five innings at an average of 77.25 in Duleep Trophy 2024, with a top score of 157*.
The ongoing Irani Cup saw Easwaran slamming a sensational 191 off 292 balls for the Rest of India against Mumbai. The knock has kept the team in the hunt after the first innings.
Making his first-class debut in 2013, Easwaran has amassed 7,315 runs at an average of 48.44, with 25 centuries. In three innings, he scored a double century and held an average of 168.50 in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season.
#2 Ruturaj Gaikwad's worrisome technical chink
Ruturaj Gaikwad has a glaring weakness outside the off-stump, as the bowlers have managed to induce his edge on many occasions. As a result, he has often been caught in the slip or by the keeper and failed to convert his starts into a big score.
The prime evidence was witnessed in the ongoing Irani Cup, where he was dismissed by debutant Mohammad Juned Khan, while failing to defend a good-length ball pitched on the fourth stump. Moreover, Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani found him wanting on the area of uncertainty in the T20I series this year.
As compared to Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ruturaj Gaikwad has less experience in red-ball cricket. He has featured in only 32 first-class games, but holds an impressive average of 42.88. However, the majority of his appearances have come in the Indian subcontinent and he might face difficulty against Australian bowlers in the much-awaited series.
#3 Abhimayu Easwaran has experience of playing in foreign soil for India A
Abhimanyu Easwaran has been playing for the India A side since 2018. With an average of over 40, the opening batter scored 122 runs in three innings at home soil against Australia A in 2018.
Thereafter, he was part of the India A squad for the West Indies tour in 2019. Easwaran then scored 205 runs in five innings for India A on a tour to South Africa in 2021/22. He also was a part of the India A squad for a Test series against South Africa in 2023/24.
Earlier this year, Abhimanyu Easwaran led the India A team in the three-match Test series against England Lions at home. Although Easwaran didn't fare well with the bat, his leadership helped the side register a 2-0 victory.
As of July 2023, the right-hander holds an average of 47.27 and has registered six hundreds for India A in 34 games.