ENG vs IND: Abhimanyu Easwaran overlooked, fans blame IPL favouritism

Abhimanyu Easwaran's wait for a Test debut continues, as he was once again left out of India's playing XI for the opening Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, June 20. Instead, the Indian team management opted to hand a debut to Sai Sudharsan, who was slotted in at the No. 3 position as India kicked off a new era under captain Shubman Gill.
Easwaran, 29, has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit and was first included in the Indian squad during the 2022 tour of Bangladesh. However, despite being part of the squad multiple times since, he is yet to break into the playing 11.
Easwaran performing well in domestic cricket The Bengal batter was in red-hot form last season, scoring heavily in tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy, and Irani Cup. His notable knocks included 127*, 191, 116, 157*, 200*, among others. In 103 first-class matches, Easwaran has amassed 7,841 runs at an impressive average of 48.70, including 27 centuries and 31 half-centuries. Fans sensing IPL favouritism
Despite his consistent performances, the selectors chose to back 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan, who has played 29 first-class games, scoring 1,957 runs at an average of 39.93 with seven hundreds and five fifties. Sudharsan also had an outstanding run in IPL 2025, where he claimed the Orange Cap with 759 runs in 15 innings.
While Sudharsan's current form may have influenced the decision, the move drew mixed reactions from fans online, many of whom voiced their disappointment over Easwaran's continued exclusion. All eyes will now be on Sudharsan to see if he can capitalise on this opportunity and make a strong impression in his debut Test.

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