The best of Abhimanyu Easwaran‘s 13 first-class hundreds to date came in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season – a blistering 211-ball 183 for Bengal against Delhi in the fourth innings to help chase down 322.
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Easwaran, named in India’s touring party for the World Test Championship and England series, has made his mark in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal over the last few seasons. The 25-year-old has a career-best score of 233 in first-class cricket, but his most impactful knock was the aforementioned 183.
Left to chase 322 in the final innings at Eden Gardens, Easwaran remained unbeaten on 183 as he led Bengal to a stirring run-chase and helped knock Delhi out of the competition. Delhi seemingly had the upper hand after a good second innings with the bat, but what looked like an imposing run-chase was eventually chased down with ease as Easwaran unfurled a range of drives, flicks and cuts.
The knock and his returns in the 2018-19 season played a major role in catapulting Easwaran onto the national selectors’ radar. He finished the season with 861 runs at an average of 95.66 with three hundreds and three fifties in six matches. Although his returns fell off a cliff in the 2019-20 season – 258 runs at 17.2 in 10 matches – Easwaran was picked ahead of other potential candidates in the touring party.
