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Abhimanyu Easwaran (R) suffered a bizarre run-out dismissal in the Ranji Trophy on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
The opening day of the second half of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season witnessed some bizarre moments across the country, but none could match the unusual dismissal that Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran experienced on Thursday.
Batting for his first century in First-Class cricket in over a year, Easwaran looked well set to break the drought after Services opted to field first at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani. Teaming up with Sudip Chatterjee, Easwaran put on a 151-run partnership before a lapse in judgment and awareness at the crease from the non-striker’s end marked his dismissal in unusual fashion.
The brain-fade occurred off the final delivery of the 41st over when Easwaran’s opening partner, Chatterjee, tapped a delivery from Services’ bowler Aditya Kumar back to him. Easwaran stepped out of his crease and began walking off the field, assuming the over was complete, and drinks were called in a clear misunderstanding of the situation.
However, the ball had brushed the bowler’s fingers and rolled back to the stumps, all Services needed to do was appeal formally, following which the on-field umpires consulted with the third umpire who ruled the senior Bengal batter out. Easwaran rued the mistake later on as he fell 19 runs short of his 28th First-Class hundred and a first in over since enduring a dry spell throughout 2025.
The mistake even took Easwaran himself by surprise.
“The innings was going very well, but the mistake I made surprised even me,” he told ESPNcricinfo post the day’s play. “Some might feel the opposition could’ve called me back in the spirit of the game, but there was no question of that. It was entirely my fault. I thought the bowler had collected the ball and instinctively moved forward.”
Despite being in an and around the Test side since 2022, Easwaran has yet to earn an international cap. He was part of the Indian squad during the twin tours to Australia in 2024-25 and in England in 2025. However, he did not get a chance to play in either of those overseas series before being subsequently dropped during the home season against West Indies and South Africa.
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