Ruturaj Gaikwad has been handed a timely opportunity after replacing injured Riyan Parag in the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Just over a week before the tournament begins, the BCCI announced a major change to the India A squad, with Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in for Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag. The Assam all-rounder has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, forcing him to miss the white-ball assignment in Sri Lanka. Along with securing a place in the squad, Gaikwad has also been appointed vice-captain, highlighting the selectors' confidence in him.
The development comes at a time when both players were looking to strengthen their positions in India's wider white-ball plans. While
Parag faces a spell on the sidelines, Gaikwad now gets a valuable opportunity to return to the spotlight in national colours. The tri-series, featuring India A, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, will be played in Dambulla from June 9 to June 21.
BCCI Confirms Change in India A Squad
Announcing the update, the BCCI said in a media release:
"The Men's Selection Committee has added Ruturaj Gaikwad to the India A squad for the upcoming tri-series in Sri Lanka. He replaces vice-captain Riyan Parag, who has been ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury. "
The board further added:
"Riyan's rehabilitation will be managed by the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE). "
Parag had reportedly been carrying the injury during IPL 2026 and is expected to spend the coming weeks focusing on recovery and rehabilitation.
Fresh Opportunity for Gaikwad
For Gaikwad, the call-up comes as an important chance to re-establish himself in India's setup. The 29-year-old has remained on the fringes of the national side in recent months, and the vice-captaincy role suggests he continues to be viewed highly by the selectors.
With Tilak Varma leading the squad, Gaikwad will be among the senior figures in the dressing room during the tournament.
India A Set for Busy Sri Lanka Tour
The squad also includes exciting young names such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya and Ayush Badoni. India A will face Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A twice each during the round-robin stage before the final on June 21.
Following the tri-series, India A are also scheduled to play two multi-day matches against Sri Lanka A, with those games set to take place in Galle.
With the tournament fast approaching, all eyes will now be on how Gaikwad adapts to his new leadership role while India A continue their preparations for an important overseas assignment.
Updated India A squad for Sri Lanka tri-series
Tilak Varma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-captain), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Kumar Kushagra (WK), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, Anukul Roy.
