Abhimanyu Easwaran breaks 21-year-old Duleep Trophy record with majestic century against India C

Anantapur: Abhimanyu Easwaran etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket history with a stunning 157 in a Duleep Trophy 2024 clash against India C. The knock cemented Easwaran’s place among the best players in domestic cricket as he broke a 21-year-old record to carry his bat through the innings in Duleep Trophy.

The Bengal cricketer became only the seventh player in the history of the tournament to carry his bat throughout the innings and joined the likes of Aakash Chopra, Wasim Jaffer and Gautam Gambhir in the elite list. The southpaw also registered the second-highest individual score in Duleep Trophy while carrying the bat.

Despite India C’s formidable 525 target, the India B skipper led the chase with incredible tenacity and determination. Despite a century opening partnership, Easwaran stayed at the crease, battling tough conditions against strong bowling display including an outstanding performance from Anshul Kamboj.

Easwaran’s century proved crucial in helping India B remain competitive in the match and managed 332 all out, thus giving the opposition a lead of 193 runs. “This was quite an important match for me and my team. With such a large target of 525 to chase, we knew the depth in our batting gave us a chance.

“The plan was simple – if two or three of us could form solid partnerships and each score a hundred, we were confident we could reach the target. Unfortunately, our opening partnership was only 100 plus runs, and after that, it became difficult to score centuries,” Easwaran said.

“My personal target was to stay in front of the wicket as long as I could without getting out. Additionally, I focused on gathering as much information on the bowlers so I could share it with my teammates, ensuring we were all on the same page. Anshul Kamboj bowled really well, but I’ve gained a lot of confidence from this innings,” he said.

Speaking on his return to the game after an injury, Easwaran shared, “This is my second match after spending 2.5 months at the National Cricket Academy due to injury, so scoring a century feels good. I’m looking forward to exceeding my performance in the next match and winning the trophy, which is our ultimate target.”

Easwaran’s outstanding century against India C in the 2024 Duleep Trophy is evident of both his extraordinary talent and unwavering willpower. The century by Easwaran underscores his growing stature in domestic cricket, making him a key player to watch as the tournament progresses. The cricketing world will surely be closely observing him in the coming matches to see how he builds on this remarkable accomplishment as he maintains his impressive form and skillful play.