Former Indian cricketer WV Raman was interviewed exclusively by Times of India ahead of the India tour of England. In the interview, he shared his views on multiple questions, but one of the key highlights was his strong backing of Abhimanyu Easwaran over Sai Sudharsan for the first Test against England. Raman believes the 30-year-old Easwaran deserves a chance, having built a solid case with consistent first-class records.
WV Raman Prefers Easwaran Over Sudharsan
When asked about Sai Sudharsan's impact in recent matches, WV Raman didn’t hold back and immediately expressed his preference for Easwaran. He pointed out that Easwaran has been consistently scoring runs at a first-class level for a longer period and should be rewarded with a spot in the playing XI.
“No, let's not forget that Easwaran has been getting runs much higher than him over a long period. We have been having Easwaran as a part of the squad, we are not playing him. And that is again creating a lot of dilemma when the next selection comes up. We will have to try and reward him fully in the sense that there is no point picking him in the squad. We don't have, let's say, a player who has opened in the past, who is willing to open.”
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Easwaran Deserves the Opening Slot
Raman further explained that Easwaran, being a natural opener, is best suited for the vacant opening slot, and it wouldn’t be ideal to push a middle-order batter into that role when Easwaran is already in the squad.
“There is a vacant slot at the top of the order. And here you have, on the other hand, a player who has been opening right through his life, who has got runs every season almost. And then you pick him in the squad. When there is a vacant opening slot, you don't use him. I think we need to first answer that particular bit.”
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Karun Nair’s Red-Ball Form Gets a Nod from WV Raman
WV Raman also praised Karun Nair’s comeback and believes his red-ball form justifies his place in the playing XI.
“Again, we have got somebody (Karun Nair) who is making a comeback after a long period of time. And then he is not a spring onion now. He is into his 30s. He is experienced. He is also in top form.”
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As the interview wrapped up, WV Raman, who isn’t a fan of predictions, chose not to comment on the outcome of the series. Instead, he wished the Indian team well and expressed his hope for them to play quality cricket in England.
Stay tuned for more updates on the India tour of England 2025
