Abhimanyu Easwaran smokes 8th 50-plus score in eight First-Class games
Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran scored a fine fifty in the ongoing Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash versus Jharkhand. The right-handed batter scored 77 off 155 deliveries, a knock laced with 10 boundaries. His brilliance helped Bengal post 328 in their first innings. Meanwhile, this was Easwaran's eighth 50-plus score in his last eight First-Class games. Here we look at his stats.
A well-paced knock from Easwaran
Bengal didn't get off to a brilliant start as opener Kazi Saifi (1) perished cheaply. Nevertheless, Easwaran joined forces with number-three batter Sudip Gharami and the duo added 136 runs for the second wicket. The latter slammed a 108-ball 68. While Easwaran was watchful against the challenging deliveries, he dispatched the loose ones for boundaries. He eventually fell prey to right-arm pacer Supriyo Chakraborty.
Eighth 50-plus score in eight games
As mentioned, this was Easwaran's eighth fifty-plus score in as many red-ball games. Prior to his fifty versus Jharkhand, his scores in his last eight FC games read 27, 101, 57, 22, 9, 165, 83*, 170, 157, and 141. With 710 runs in six games at 88.75, Easwaran is currently Bengal's highest run-getter this season. No other Bengal batter owns 650 or more runs.
A look at his First-Class numbers
Easwaran, who made his First-class debut in 2013, has piled up a truckload of runs for Bengal in the domestic circuit. He owns 6,286 runs in the format in 86 games, with his average being over 47. While the 27-year-old has 21 tons under his belt, he has also smashed 26 half-centuries. 233 reads his highest score in the format.
Easwaran was a standby player for the 2021 WTC final
It is worth noting that Easwaran was among the four Indian stand-by players who toured the UK for the ICC World Test Championship final and England Test series in 2021. The budding batter joined Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, and Arzan Nagwaswalla on the tour.
How has the game proceeded?
Bengal won the toss and opted to bowl at Kolkata's Eden Gardens. Jharkhand couldn't embrace the challenge and were folded for 173. Kumar Suraj scored an unbeaten 89. In reply, Bengal posted 328 with Easwaran, Gharami, and Shahbaz Ahmed (82) slamming fifties. After earning a 155-run lead, Bengal reduced Jharkhand to 92/5. Manoj Tiwary's men are on the right track to qualify for semis.
