Ruturaj Gaikwad must keep wickets like Dhoni to get selected in Team India, says former selector

Former India cricketer and ex-selector Kris Srikkanth has raised concerns over Ruturaj Gaikwad’s place in the national setup, suggesting that the Maharashtra batter may need to add wicketkeeping to his skill set much like MS Dhoni to improve his chances of selection.

Gaikwad was left out of the Indian squad for the ODI series against New Zealand despite scoring a brilliant century in his most recent fifty-over appearance against South Africa. His omission came after Shreyas Iyer was declared fully fit, leading to Gaikwad making way, while Rishabh Pant retained his place even though he did not feature in any match against the Proteas.

Srikkanth expressed surprise over Gaikwad’s exclusion and felt the opener deserved to remain part of the squad. He remarked that versatility could be key for Gaikwad going forward, hinting that wicketkeeping might help him stay relevant in a highly competitive selection environment. According to Srikkanth, while Shreyas Iyer’s inclusion was understandable, Gaikwad should also have been among the 15 players selected.

He further opined that Gaikwad’s spot could have been retained at the expense of Nitish Kumar Reddy. The former selector criticised the message such decisions send, stating that even a century in international cricket does not guarantee continuity in the team.

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Srikkanth also highlighted the contrasting situations of players within the squad. He pointed out that Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to remain in the scheme of things even when not playing, whereas Gaikwad appears to have fallen out of favour. Once a player is dropped from the system, Srikkanth warned, selectors may gradually stop considering him.

Concluding his remarks, Srikkanth said Gaikwad now faces the challenge of forcing his way back through sustained performances in domestic cricket. He added that the value of international performances diminishes when players are sidelined immediately after delivering results, calling Gaikwad’s century a missed opportunity due to his absence from the current squad.