India’s performance in the recently concluded Test series against South Africa has raised endless questions on team selection. Not only the fans but the experts have also started believing that the selectors
are picking up Test squad based on the white-ball performances.
Meanwhile, former cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has taken a sly dig at the selectors, highlighting Abhimanyu Easwaran’s latest heroics in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The Bengal batter smashed a century – 130 off 66 balls – against Punjab at the Eden Gardens. Though Bengal lost the fixture, Easwaran hogged the limelight for his unbeaten knock.
Ashwin, speaking on Ash ki Baat with senior journalist Vimal Kumar on YouTube, sarcastically urged the selectors to consider Easwaran for Tests because he has shown promise in T20 cricket.
“I’m excited about another person. The Test incumbent player who has always been spoken about, Abhimanyu Easwaran,” Ashwin said.
“Abhimanyu Easwaran scored a hundred in T20 also now. Now we can get to see him for sure now. Given that he has now scored runs in T20, for sure we will get to see him in the Test team now,” he added.
🚨🚨 Ravi Ashwin took a dig at Ajit Agarkar’s selection panel!
“I am excited for another player, a test incumbent player, who always been spoken about. Abhimanyu Easwaran, now he has scored an 100 in T2O so now we can see him in tests definitely”🤣.
– Abhimayu Easwaran scored… pic.twitter.com/X6nZobRBVf
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) December 1, 2025
Ashwin also questioned the Indian team selection after all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was excluded from the playing XI in the first ODI against South Africa, despite Hardik Pandya being unavailable.
Many expected Reddy, a pace-bowling all-rounder like Pandya, to slot in for the series opener on Sunday. However, the youngster was left to warm the bench.
“If we are not able to find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in a team that does not have Hardik Pandya, then there is something wrong in the squad selection, seriously,” Ashwin asserted.
“Why was he picked? Because the fact that he can give what Hardik can give, and can get better over a period of time. But, if we can’t find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in this particular XI, then the squad selection must be properly reviewed,” he further said.
