ENG vs IND 2025: Mohammad Kaif, fans question "IPL favouritism" as Abhimanyu Easwaran gets left out of playing XI for first Test

Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran. (Photo source: X)

Abhimanyu Easwaran's wait to earn his maiden Test cap got prolonged as he wasn't picked in India's playing XI for the first Test against England, which began on Friday, June 20. Instead, India opted to hand a Test debut to the 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan, who recently finished as the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

Easwaran has been in and around the Indian setup for several years now. However, he hasn't been able to break into the playing XI as yet. The Bengal batter was a part of the Indian team during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series. However, he didn't get a game.

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the longest format last month, many expected that Easwaran would fill up one of the two spots. He was announced as the captain of the India A side, which recently played two unofficial Tests against England Lions. The right-handed batter scored two half-centuries, and both of them came in the second innings.

In the intra-squad game in Kent last week, Easwaran and Sudharsan reportedly scored 39 and 38, respectively. However, it was the youngster who got the nod on Friday.

This hasn't gone down well with former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif as well as a section of fans, who have accused the Indian team management of "IPL favouritism". Easwaran's scores during the last domestic season read as 127*, 191, 116, 19, 157*, 13, 4, 200*, 72, 65. In his first-class career so far, the Bengal batter has amassed 7841 runs from 103 matches at an average of 48.70 with 27 centuries and 31 fifties. Sudharsan, on the other hand, averages 39.93 after playing 29 red-ball games.

Abhimanyu Easwaran deserves to be in the playing XI before Sai Sudarshan. Easwaran's 27 first-class hundreds, almost 8k FC runs need to be respected. By dropping Sarfraz, someone who scored runs for India A in England, selectors made a mistake. They shouldn't repeat it by keeping…

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 19, 2025

Abhimanyu Easwaran deserved a chance in 1st match. Bcci is treating him like untouchable.
Ipl can't be criteria for selection in tests. pic.twitter.com/VgMFgtRBt8

— Mankirat Singh (@rock0010000) June 20, 2025

I feel bad for Abhimanyu Easwaran,he was not given a chance again today,before him Sai Sudarshan was given a chance,whereas Easwaran is consistently performing better than Sudarshan in domestic cricket.#INDvENG #INDvsENG #ENGvIND #ENGvsIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/8j2rcB2sJY

— kuldeep singh (@kuldeep0745) June 20, 2025

It's just a social media pressure that's why BCCI picked Abhimanyu Easwaran in the team.

He is never going to get a game for india in near future.He was benched in Australia and will countine to do so in other SENA countries.BCCI thinks he can only survive in Indian pitches. pic.twitter.com/XEQy2XW0Mc

— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) June 20, 2025

💔 Feel for Abhimanyu Easwaran — over 8000 runs in domestic cricket, 5 years traveling with the squad, waiting patiently. Still no Test debut. How long must consistency wait for a chance? 🇮🇳#INDvsENG #Cricket@BCCI @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/7Ew9CVIHtB

— Mʀ.Ƭʜᴏʀ⚡ (@ThorWonders18) June 20, 2025

What does it take for Abhimanyu Easwaran to make a debut? I can understand the obsession for Sai Sudarshan but Easwaran understands conditions better purely on experience!

— Charlie Harper 🇮🇳 (@suryatej_borra) June 20, 2025

He is in India's scheme of things since more than 5 years now and always someone who from IPL comes into squad and plays ahead of Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Indian team selects on basis of IPL and that is the reality. Sai Sudarshan is a great player and will have great career but… pic.twitter.com/I3A5Dt9YP0

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 20, 2025

Indian cricket seems to run on reputation rather than performance. #Sudarshan ahead of #Easwaran just tells you how you are rewarding your first class structure…If IPL is the way to selection then simply stop Ranji !!! #ENGvIND

— ImNazish نازش (@nazishrahman) June 20, 2025

Sudharsan departs for a duck in first innings

Sudharsan walked out to bat in the 25th over after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 91 runs for the opening wicket. The southpaw looked a bit nervous in his short stay at the crease, which was ended by Ben Stokes in the 26th over.

The England captain bowled a delivery down the leg-side, and Sudharsan wanted to flick it away to get off the mark. However, all he managed to get was a faint edge that was taken smartly by a diving Jamie Smith. It was great planning from Stokes and England as they had deployed a fielder at leg gully just prior to the delivery.

Sudharsan tried to flick the preceding delivery, which was similar to the ball that eventually dismissed him, but on that occasion, he failed to connect. The Tamil Nadu batter scored a duck off four balls. This turned out to be the last delivery before Lunch as the visitors went into the break at 92/2, with Yashasvi Jaiswal batting on 42.