Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to feature in India’s ODI team against South Africa, as indicated by captain KL Rahul. Gaikwad, who has been absent from the ODI arena for nearly two years, earned his place back through stellar performances in the List-A series for India A against their South African counterparts. Rahul referred to Gaikwad as a “top-class player” and hinted that his chance to represent India in ODIs is imminent.
Rahul shared insights on Gaikwad’s situation during a pre-match presser. “Rutu, obviously, is a top-class player; we have all seen it with whatever opportunities, limited opportunities he has got, he’s really utilised it and shown what he can do,” Rahul stated. He also touched upon the difficulty of securing a spot in India’s formidable top-order batting lineup. “Unfortunately, in ODI cricket, the top six or the top five is quite settled and they are performing really well. So you feel bad for players not getting enough opportunities,” he explained.
The current ODI series against South Africa provides a unique opportunity for players like Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant, thanks to the unavailability of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer due to injuries. “Now he has gotten his opportunity with a few injuries. He will get his opportunity at some stage, and yeah, looking forward to giving him that chance and letting him show what he can do and do the job for the team,” Rahul added. This period, without an immediate major ICC ODI event, may see further squad experimentation. Rahul confirmed his personal batting slot at number six for the ODI series, while remaining coy about the full composition of the playing XI for the first match in Ranchi.