IND Vs BAN: Abhimanyu Easwaran To Join Test Squad After Rohit Suffers Thumb Injury - Report
IND vs BAN 1st Test: Rohit, who suffered a left thumb dislocation during the second ODI against Bangladesh and rushed back home to Mumbai on Wednesday, is likely to be out of the Test series
Uncapped Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran will join the Indian team in Chattogram for the two-match test series against Bangladesh after skipper Rohit Sharma suffered a thumb injury, a report in Espncricinfo said. The series starts from December 14.
Rohit, who suffered a left thumb dislocation during the second ODI against Bangladesh and rushed back home to Mumbai on Wednesday, is likely to be out of the Test series. However, the selectors are awaiting a final report from the BCCI's medical staff, the report said.
The Indian team management is optimistic about Rohit returning for the second Test, which starts on December 22 in Mirpur.
"The BCCI Medical Team assessed him and he underwent scans at a local hospital in Dhaka. He has flown to Mumbai for specialist consultation and will miss the final ODI. A call on his availability for the upcoming Test series will be taken later," BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated in a press release.
READ | Easwaran Scores His Second Successive Ton, Pujara Hits Fifty
Easwaran has been on terrific form off late, scoring 141 in first A Test against Bangaldesh and 157 in the second Test.
"Abhimanyu Easwaran has scored back to back hundreds in ongoing A Test series and is an opener. In all likelihood, he will join the squad in Chattogram after finishing his second A Test in Sylhet," a senior BCCI source told PTI.
However, stand-in skipper KL Rahul and Shubman Gill are likely to be opening the innings for India in Chattogram and Dhaka.
It is also understood that Bengal seamer Mukesh Kumar, who has consistently performed for India A, or Umran Malik, could replace an injured Mohammed Shami, PTI reported.
Easwaran has been a regular participant in the Dhaka Premier League circuit. This year, he had represented Prime Bank in Bangladesh's 50-over club competition and is no stranger to Bangladeshi conditions.
Easwaran, who made his first-class debut in December 2013, was earlier part of India's Test squad on their tour of England last year.
His overall first-class numbers are formidable: 5576 runs in 134 innings at an average of 45.33, with a best of 233.