The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 18 announced the squads for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour. Among the surprise omissions was Ruturaj Gaikwad. The right-handed batter fared well in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe yet failed to find a place in any of the squads named by the board. Gaikwad had scored 133 runs across three innings in Zimbabwe at an average of 66.5. Former India batter Aakash Chopra has questioned the selection committee for Gaikwad’s snub.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad has been left out in both formats. What did Ruturaj Gaikwad do that his name hasn’t come? Six months ago, you were worthy of becoming the captain of a team, a team that had Shubman Gill who wasn’t playing, but Shubman has become the vice-captain now and Ruturaj is not even part of the team, neither in T20Is nor in ODIs. Is that right?” said Chopra on his YouTube channel.
“It’s the same thing, the coach was someone else and the selection committee might have been different. They might have done something but now they are looking for change. I really hope that it’s being communicated that he is being looked at for T20Is and will be considered for ODIs because, otherwise, Ruturaj Gaikwad, like Sanju Samson, will be very aggrieved. He might be feeling that he has been wronged,” he added.
The ex-cricketer also questioned the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja, both of who were part of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad. Jadeja called time on his T20I career after the triumph but remains available in other formats.
“Yuzi Chahal also comes to mind. You were just now part of the World Cup. After that, you are nowhere. Ravindra Jadeja is also not part of ODI cricket. What’s happening there? He has himself retired from T20Is but would have been available in ODIs. If he is available and is not being played despite that, have Team India started looking in some other direction?” Chopra said.
