In-form opener Abhimanyu Easwaran sent a timely reminder to the national selectors with his third successive hundred while anchoring the Rest of India (RoI) innings after Mumbai posted a mammoth first-innings total of 537 in the Irani Cup at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Easwaran compiled an unbeaten 151 off 212 balls, laced with 12 fours and a six on the third day of the match. Thanks to his second Irani Cup century, RoI reached 289 for four in their first innings, reducing the deficit to 248 runs by stumps.
The 29-year-old Bengal cricketer, currently in a three-way race with RoI teammates Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan to secure a spot as India’s reserve Test opener for the upcoming long tour of Australia, reached his century in 117 balls with a boundary off Mohit Avasthi.
This marked Easwaran’s third successive first-class hundred this season and came at a crucial juncture when his team needed stability, having lost skipper Gaikwad cheaply for 9. Sudharsan got a start but failed to convert, scoring 32 off 79 balls with nine boundaries before being dismissed. Devdutt Padikkal also fell short of making a significant contribution, being sent back for 16 runs off 31 balls by pacer Mohit Avasthi.
Ishan Kishan, the next man in, missed another opportunity to impress the selectors, making 38 off 60 balls before falling to Avasthi, leaving RoI at 228 for four.
Easwaran was involved in three crucial partnerships: an 87-run stand for the second wicket with Sudharsan, a 70-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Kishan, and a 61-run association for the fifth wicket with wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, who was 30 not out off 41 balls at the close of play.
### Easwaran’s Purple Patch
Having led the India B side in the Duleep Trophy last month, Easwaran finished second on the run-scoring charts with 309 runs, including two centuries. This unbeaten 151 was his fourth century of the season, which also includes a double century against Bihar in the Ranji Trophy last February.
While Easwaran continues to amass runs in the domestic circuit, his competition with rivals Gaikwad and Sudharsan will intensify during the upcoming India A tour of Australia later this month.
### Knocking on Selectors’ Doors
Easwaran has consistently been among the top run-getters for Bengal in domestic cricket. His breakthrough season came in 2018-19 when he scored over 800 runs in the Ranji Trophy at an average exceeding 95.
He has featured as part of the standby list during India’s 2020-21 tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and was included in squads for Test series against England in 2021 and 2022. Despite his performances, the seasoned Bengal pro is yet to make his international debut for India.
### Mukesh Kumar Takes Five-for
Earlier in the day, Mumbai added just one run to their overnight score of 536 for nine before being bowled out. Double centurion Sarfaraz Khan remained not out on a monumental 222.
Mukesh Kumar was the most successful bowler for RoI, returning impressive figures of 5/110 from 30 overs.
### Brief Scores
– **Mumbai 1st Innings:** 537 all out in 141 overs
(Sarfaraz Khan 222*; Ajinkya Rahane 97; Mukesh Kumar 5/110; Yash Dayal 2/89; Prasidh Krishna 2/102)
– **Rest of India 1st Innings:** 289/4 in 74 overs
(Abhimanyu Easwaran 151*; Mohit Avasthi 2/66)
The match remains poised as Easwaran and company look to build on the strong foundation laid by the Mumbai side.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/mum-vs-roi-irani-cup-2024-abhimanyu-easwaran-compiles-timely-hundred-in-rest-of-indias-strong-reply-to-mumbais-537
