Ruturaj Gaikwad, one of the most promising young batsmen in India, has yet to receive a proper run in the Indian team across any of the three formats. No matter how consistently he scores runs for his state in domestic structure, whether white-ball or red-ball, Ruturaj has not been able to get the faith of the board. The opening batter was left out of the Bangladesh T20I series, and it was speculated that the distraction was because the selection committee had other red-ball plans for him. However when the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) announced the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, there was no sign of Gaikwad anywhere.
As Gaikwad faced another selection snub, Indian cricket legend Krisnamachari Srikkanth lost his composure and unleashed a furious tirade directed towards the overreaching Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee. Srikkanth noted that he was quite perplexed by the way Ruturaj has been treated despite his status as one of the best performers in the domestic arena in India.
“I don’t get it at all. For example, when these guys say, ‘Mayank Yadav has bowled a couple of overs, and now he is unfit just like Shivam and Riyan,’ so how does it work for Ruturaj, I don’t get it. The poor guy! What can he do? Let him bang a hundred, and they will get him back in the T20I squad, right? Even after scoring two first-class centuries, he was still not included. He has the anes to support him. Where is that guy supposed to go now?’ Srikkanth stated in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.
In response, the selection committee approved Abhimanyu Easwaran, another domestic workhorse in recent years, who just made four consecutive centuries on the trot, for the tour of Australia. Given that Srikkanth is not opposed to the inclusion of Easwaran in the side, the former cricketer has however raised concerns as to why Ruturaj has been overlooked.
“Abhimanyu Easwaran has done exceptionally well, and I am not disputing that. But what about Ruturaj? Why is it that they are not being put into action with him? What’s in the box? Let them deal with him as they see fit. Just observe the psychology of that chap and tell me what he is meant to be doing in this game against you guys. He is a nuisance at all times to the opponents but when it comes to playing for the country, he’s left out. They only slot him in when its for the rest of India or India A,” he lamented.
In a surprising turn of events, the National Men’s Selection Committee instead appointed Ruturaj to lead the 15-member India A team that was announced for the tour of Australia. It would surely be interesting to see whether Ruturaj would get a look in for the full senior team had he made a good case for himself in the India A side.
