Opener Abhimanyu Easwaran continued his golden run in the early stage of the 2024-25 season, hitting his third successive first-class hundred. Easwaran got to his 26th first-class hundred in just 117 balls as he led the Rest of India’s strong reply to Mumbai in the Irani Cup match at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium in Lucknow on Thursday, October 03.
It was Abhimanyu Easwaran’s third hundred in successive first-class matches. He hit 157 not out for India B against India C in a Duleep Trophy match in Anantapur last month. He followed it up with 116 for India B against India D in Anantapur in the last round of the Duleep Trophy first-class tournament.
Rest of India were put under early pressure by Mumbai after the Ranji Trophy champions posted a mammoth first-innings total of 537 after Sarfaraz Khan’s double hundred (222). Rest of India lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad early on Thursday after debutant pacer Juned Khan struck early. However, Abhimanyu and Sai Sudharsan stitched an 87-run stand for the second wicket in brisk time. Both Abhimanyu and Sudharsan kept the scoreboard moving before Tanush Kotian got the wicket of the Tamil Nadu batter in the 32nd over.
Abhimanyu held one end when Rest of India lost Saudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal in quick succession. The Karnataka batter managed just 16. However, Abhimanyu found a solid ally in Ishan Kishan. The two added 40-plus for the fourth wicket and steered the Rest of India past 200 in the final session on Day 3.
Abhimanyu Easwaran hit nine boundaries and a six as he led Rest of India’s charge in Lucknow.
Abhimanyu has been pushing for his Test selection, having scored big hundreds consistently in domestic cricket. In 2024, Abhimanyu has scored over 800 runs, including four hundreds and three fifties in first-class cricket. He top-scored for India B in Duleep Trophy, scoring 309 runs in five innings. He played two matches for Bengal in the last Ranji Trophy season, scoring a double hundred and two fifties.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, 29, was last part of the India Test squad during their tour of South Africa earlier this year. Despite having travelled with the team, the highly-rated Bengal batter has not found an opportunity in the XI. Easwaran has began the 2024-25 season on a high and the Bengal star will be looking forward to earn the selectors’ attention again.
