Why Ruturaj Gaikwad was ignored in India's ODI squad against Afghanistan

Introduction

Fans were surprised by Ruturaj Gaikwad's exclusion

Nobody saw this coming. When India's ODI squad for the Afghanistan series dropped, fans were ready for the usual suspects — Rohit, Gill, Virat Kohli. What they weren't ready for was Ruturaj Gaikwad's name being completely absent.

The CSK captain had just finished another IPL season, his domestic record was solid, and there'd been real buzz around him getting a proper run in the side. Then nothing. Selectors moved on without him.

Social media moved fast. Fans on X, Instagram, and cricket communities on sites like cricklytix started asking the same question: what exactly does this guy have to do?

India's ODI squad announcement created debate

The squad itself wasn't shocking on paper. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli — all there. KL Rahul too. The issue was the reasoning behind who got left out.

When you have this many experienced openers fighting for 2 spots, someone has to go. Gaikwad drew the short straw. But the debate isn't whether the decision was wrong — it's whether selectors even gave him a fair shot to begin with.

India's ODI squad Against Afghanistan:

• Shubman Gill (Captain)

• Rohit Sharma

• Virat Kohli

• Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain)

• KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)

• Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper)

• Hardik Pandya

• Nitish Kumar Reddy

• Washington Sundar

• Kuldeep Yadav

• Arshdeep Singh

• Prasidh Krishna

• Prince Yadav

• Gurnoor Brar

• Harsh Dubey

You can also check out How BCCI Selects Players for Team India: Full Selection Process Explained.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's recent IPL form

Inconsistent performances in key matches

The IPL is where careers get made or buried for Indian players. And Gaikwad's IPL had bright patches — a fluent 60 here, a quick 40 there — but the big innings didn't arrive consistently enough.

In 3 of CSK's most critical matches this season, he got starts and didn't convert. That pattern doesn't escape selectors. It didn't.

Strike rate and intent questions

The other thing working against him: his powerplay strike rate. Numbers from cricklytix show Gaikwad's powerplay SR sitting noticeably below what selectors now consider the floor for an ODI opener.

This isn't just about aggression. It's about the shift in how India plays ODIs — the Rohit-era blueprint. You're expected to take on pace bowling, especially in the first 10 overs. Gaikwad's game, refined and technically clean as it is, doesn't quite fit that template yet.

Comparison with other Indian openers

Put Gaikwad's IPL numbers next to Shubman Gill's and the gap is visible. Gill scores at a higher rate, converts his starts more often, and does it against stronger bowling attacks.

Even if you account for pitch conditions and team roles, Gaikwad just hasn't produced the kind of dominant season that forces a selector's hand. Virat Kohli, for reference, didn't make the Indian team by being good — he made it by being impossible to ignore. Gaikwad hasn't reached that threshold yet.

 

You can also check out how IPL teams make money to understand the business side of modern cricket franchises.

 

Strong competition in India's ODI setup

Shubman Gill's consistent ODI performances

Gill is arguably India's most important ODI batter right now outside of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He's got 3 ODI centuries since 2023. He scores in Asia, he scores overseas. Selectors don't have to think twice about him.

That's the kind of certainty that blocks out every other candidate for the opening slot. Gaikwad would need to do something extraordinary to shift that.

Rohit Sharma's presence further reduced Ruturaj Gaikwad's chances

Rohit is still the captain. Still the first-choice opener. And when Rohit's available, the conversation about who opens with Gill is already over.

There's no realistic path for Gaikwad to displace Rohit Sharma in the near future. The only question is what happens when Rohit eventually steps back from ODIs — and even then, Gaikwad will have competition.

KL Rahul's experience gives him an advantage

KL Rahul keeps finding his way back into squads because he does something Gaikwad can't yet offer: flexibility. Rahul can open, bat at 4, keep wickets. That utility is worth a lot to a team building for ICC events.

Gaikwad is primarily a top-order batter. Good one, but that's a narrower brief. When squads are 15 men and everyone needs to fill multiple roles, the flexible option wins.

 

Team combination may have played a big role

Selectors looking for more flexible batters

India's selectors have been pretty open about this. They want batters who can slot in at 3, 4, or 5 depending on conditions. Gaikwad's game is built for the top of the order and nowhere else, really.

That's a genuine limitation. It's not a knock on his talent — it's just a mismatch with what India needs from a 15-man ODI squad right now.

Balance between youth and experience

Gaikwad sits in an awkward spot. At 27, he's not a raw kid who needs time. But he's also not a 50-cap veteran who earns automatic selection. He's in the middle zone — the hardest place to survive as a selector's pick.

India went with a squad that skewed toward established names and a couple of younger, flashier options from the IPL. Gaikwad fell into neither category clearly enough.

India's preparation for future ICC events

Everything right now is pointed toward the next Champions Trophy and eventually the 2027 World Cup. Selectors are building combinations, testing partnerships, figuring out their best 11 for knockout cricket.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are locks. The slots around them are being fought over hard. And players who haven't proven themselves in pressure ICC games — Gaikwad hasn't played many — are at a disadvantage.

 

Did selectors prioritize aggressive batting?

Modern ODI cricket demands faster scoring

India's average first-innings score in ODIs has gone up by about 30 runs over the last 4 years. Teams are hitting 340, 360 regularly. The bar has moved.

Selectors are clearly factoring this in. The batters getting picked are the ones who can score at 110+ in the powerplay. Gaikwad sits closer to 85-90. That gap matters more than it used to.

Middle-over strike rotation matters more than ever

Overs 11 to 40 are where ODIs are quietly decided. Dot ball percentage, singles off good balls, stealing twos — these details show up in selection conversations now more than ever.

Cricklytix data shows Gaikwad's dot ball percentage in those middle overs is slightly higher than comparable openers who made the squad. In a data-aware selection environment, that's the kind of thing that tips the scales.

 

Ruturaj Gaikwad's international record so far

Limited opportunities in ODI cricket

The honest truth is he hasn't played enough ODIs to be judged fairly. His appearances have been patchy — a game here, a series there, never a sustained run where he could settle.

Virat Kohli got 30 games before anyone started expecting big things consistently. Gaikwad hasn't been near 30 ODIs. The sample size is too thin to write him off, and probably too thin to pick him with confidence.

Areas where he still needs improvement

Playing pace bowling outside the subcontinent is the obvious one. His record on flat Indian pitches is good. Against quality swing and seam in England or South Africa? That's mostly untested.

His game against spin is fine. His running between wickets is sharp. But the areas that matter most for ICC cricket — handling hostile pace overseas — are question marks nobody has answers to yet.

 

Can Ruturaj Gaikwad make a comeback soon?

Domestic cricket could be the key

The Vijay Hazare Trophy is where fringe players rebuild cases. If Gaikwad puts up 4-5 big scores in List A cricket before the next selection window, it becomes harder to ignore him.

He's done it before — his domestic form is consistently excellent. The problem is converting that into sustained international form. That bridge still hasn't been fully crossed.

IPL 2026 may decide his future

The next IPL cycle is probably the most important stretch of his career. If he scores 500-plus runs, converts starts, and does it at a strike rate above 145 — that's a selection-forcing performance.

The IPL isn't just cricket anymore. It's the audition room for the Indian team. Gaikwad knows that. His captaincy of CSK adds pressure, but the bat has to do the talking.

Why selectors still believe in his talent

He hasn't been dropped for misconduct or attitude issues. He hasn't been publicly written off. The selectors just chose other players — for now.

That matters. It means the door isn't shut. He's still in the conversation. One strong IPL or Vijay Hazare campaign and he'll be right back in the frame.

 

Fans' reactions to the squad selection

Social media reactions and debates

X (Twitter) had #RuturajGaikwad trending within hours of the squad announcement. Most of the sentiment was frustration, not anger — fans who felt he deserved at least a chance in a relatively low-stakes series against Afghanistan.

Experts divided over the decision

Former Indian cricketers came out on both sides. Several backed the selection panel, pointing to the competition for places and Gaikwad's IPL inconsistency. A few — particularly those who've watched him closely in domestic cricket — said he deserved better.

The consensus, if there is one: the decision wasn't wrong, but the timing felt odd. Afghanistan at home was exactly the kind of series where you'd expect India to experiment. They chose not to. That's a call only the selectors can justify.

 

Conclusion

Was it harsh or a tactical decision?

Probably both. Gaikwad was left out because the selectors have better-established options right now — Rohit, Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul. That's not harsh, that's just the reality of competing for spots in one of the strongest batting lineups in world cricket.

But could they have used this Afghanistan series to hand him a run? Yes. They chose not to. That part stings, and it's fair to question it.

Ruturaj still has time to bounce back

He's 27. He's got time. Virat Kohli didn't become Virat Kohli overnight, and even Rohit Sharma had years where selection felt uncertain.

Gaikwad's talent is real. His technique is there. What he needs now is a run of form so undeniable that selectors can't look away. The IPL in 2026 is his best shot at making that happen.