Star batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has been in and around the Indian team for a while, but hasn't managed to make his stay permanent, be it any format. Former Chennai Super Kings and India cricketer Robin Uthappa believes that Ruturaj ends up losing his form in crucial matches, which lets the selectors down, and the Maharashtra batter eventually has to vacate his spot from the squad.
Uthappa further said that it is very essential to step up and score runs during crucial moments of a series or a tournament,
which helps a player win the confidence of the selectors and the team management. The cricketer-turned-commentator further said that Ruturaj will have to keep this aspect in mind, if he wants to become a long-term feature in the Indian team.
“I have noticed one thing with Ruturaj. At the right time, he loses his form a bit. In Indian cricket, it is important to strike when the iron is hot. His time came two to three times and his form got slightly off. So for the form to stay, to get the opportunities at the right time, it has to sit properly,” Uthappa said in a video on his YouTube channel.
It is worth noting that Ruturaj scored his maiden ODI hundred in the recently concluded series against South Africa, batting in the middle-order, out of his usual position. However, he has had only two double-digit scores in the rest of the eight games since his debut. Lack of consistency has not helped the management show their faith in Ruturaj for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer has also been cleared to resume playing for the Men in Blue after recuperating from his laceration spleen injury, and will occupy his usual No. 4 position. As a result, Ruturaj was ignored while picking the 15-man squad. With India playing their next ODI series way further in July 2026, it will be interesting to see if Ruturaj can perform consistently and regain his spot in the Indian team.
India ODI squad for New Zealand series
Shubman Gill (captain), Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj
