India, Oct. 10 -- There is a particular kind of patience required to be Abhimanyu Easwaran. For years, the Bengal opener has done what a batter in his position is supposed to do: score runs, build an imposing first-class record and wait for an opportunity. He has scored heavily enough to earn India call-ups, including for the home Test series against England in 2024 and the subsequent tour of Australia, but a Test debut has remained elusive.

At 31, the distance between a long-held ambition and its fulfilment is becoming harder to ignore. Yet Easwaran, also Bengal's captain, has not given up on India. Nor does he intend to let the uncertainty dictate how he plays. "That has always been the dream. to play for India, win games for India," h...