Former India A captain Abhimanyu Easwaran has been in red-hot form these days. The 29-year-old right-handed batter from Bengal has scored four centuries in his last four matches. But despite his super show with the bat, he was not considered for a place in the Indian team for the three-match Test series against New Zealand, which starts on Wednesday (October 16).
After missing out on a place in the Indian team for the home series against the Black Caps, Easwaran, during an interview with Indian Express, said that his love for the game is unconditional and it is not going to change even if he is not picked in the red-ball team.
“You need to remind yourself that you started playing this game because you love it. Whether I get picked or not, that love is unconditional. I want to have fun when I play this game. That selection thing comes into my mind, but I am very lucky to have good people around me. Whenever I lack clarity, I have a chat with them, and that gives me a lot of clarity to focus on what I can control,” Easwaran said when asked how he deals with the setback of not getting an India call-up despite doing consistently well.
According to him, he wants to win matches for India, but selection is not in his hands, and that’s why he doesn’t think too much about it. Instead, he is more focused on improving himself as a batter and hopes for the best.
“The dream has been to win games for the country. So that’s what is on your mind. But with time, I’ve realised that selection is not in my hands, so there is no point investing too much energy into it. So, you just wait for your turn and try to improve as much as you can, and then just hope for the best.”
Easwaran has earned India call-ups on quite a few occasions in the past, but he never managed to find a place in the playing XI. Speaking about that heartbreak, he said, “It is a challenge for sure. Sometimes, you just want to leave everything (give up). But then you face the reality. The things that you did well in domestic cricket are what have earned you a place in the team. Just because I didn’t get an opportunity to play doesn’t mean I have to change things. At this point, it is all about keeping myself ready whenever an opportunity comes.”
The star batter is in line to play for India in the high-profile Test series against Australia next month in place of Rohit Sharma, who is expected to miss one or two matches.
Reacting to the possibility of playing against the Baggy Greens, Easwaran, who is likely to travel with the India A team first for two four-day matches, said, “You are playing in conditions where the Test series will be played. So, you have the chance to get used to it. Even if you are going to get one game, you will not feel out of place. It will give an extra advantage.”
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