"Abhimanyu Easwaran still has bright chances of playing" - Aakash Chopra on opener failing again in IND A vs AUS A clash ahead of BGT 2024-25

Aakash Chopra has noted that Abhimanyu Easwaran could open for India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. However, he pointed out that the Bengal opener has endured a horror run in his four innings in the ongoing unofficial Test series between India A and Australia A.

Easwaran scored 17 runs off 31 deliveries in India A's second innings of the second unofficial Test in Melbourne. The visitors ended the second day at 73/5 before Dhruv Jurel's 68-run knock and handy contributions from the lower-order batters helped them reach 229 on Day 3 (Saturday, November 9).

Speaking about the second day's play in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that India A suffered another top-order collapse, with Easwaran, a potential candidate to open in the first Test against Australia in Perth, failing again.

"They got out once again. It was 0, 4, 0, 4 in the first innings. Here also, whether it's Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, KL Rahul or Ruturaj Gaikwad, no one is scoring runs. India A are not playing well. It comes to your mind that you are preparing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy," he said (0:50).

"For that, you sent your players early to practice and score runs. If they score runs, you could make up your minds to play them. Abhimanyu Easwaran still has bright chances of playing, although he doesn't have any returns in these unofficial Test matches. Based on that, you feel he is probably not ready," Chopra added.

Easwaran managed 19 runs across his two innings in the first unofficial Test against Australia A. He was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of the ongoing second game before falling cheaply in the second essay.

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"You see that and say what is this new way he found to get out" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul's dismissal

KL Rahul was bowled after allowing a Corey Rocchiccioli delivery to sneak through between his legs. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that KL Rahul, another potential opening option, was dismissed bizarrely in the second unofficial Test against Australia A.

"Since Rohit might not be available for the first match, you thought you would get KL Rahul to open. So you sent KL Rahul. As soon as he arrived, he was asked to play. He got out in the first innings - okay. The way he got out in the second innings, you see that and say what is this new way he found to get out," he said (1:45).

The renowned commentator added that the Karnataka batter seems to lack confidence.

"The pitch had gotten better in the second innings. I concede there was help from the pitch in the first innings. The ball was moving and you lost wickets quickly. A spinner bowled to KL Rahul and don't know how the ball went between the legs and hit his stumps. You say his confidence is also at rock bottom," Chopra observed.

Chopra opined that Dhruv Jurel, who scored 80 runs in the first innings apart from the 68-run knock in the second essay against Australia A, should feature in the first Test. He also suggested that Shubman Gill should open with Yashasvi Jaiswal if Rohit Sharma isn't available, but acknowledged that the No. 3 position would then be a question mark.