Ruturaj Gaikwad / BCCI has completely forgotten this player, he is neither playing Tests nor ODIs

Ruturaj Gaikwad: The Indian cricket team is currently busy with a two-Test series against the West Indies. Meanwhile, the BCCI has announced the Indian team for the tour of Australia, which will play three ODIs and three T20 Internationals this month. Amidst all this, there's one player who is neither in the Test, ODI, or T20 team. This player is Ruturaj Gaikwad, who until recently was considered India's future in all three formats. But now it seems the BCCI has almost forgotten him. What happened to Ruturaj that even discussions about him have ceased?

ODI Career: Short but Promising

Ruturaj Gaikwad made his ODI debut against South Africa in October 2022. He played his last ODI in December 2023. This means he has been out of the ODI team for nearly two years. In his short ODI career, Gaikwad scored 115 runs in six matches. During this period, he scored one half-century but no centuries. His performance was average, with an average of 19.16 and a strike rate of 73.24. While it's difficult to judge a player based on such limited opportunities, it's clear that he hasn't received many opportunities.

T20 Internationals: A brilliant performance, yet overlooked

Gaikwad's performance in T20 Internationals has been much better. He made his debut in this format against Sri Lanka in 2021 and has played 23 T20 Internationals as of July 2024. In these, he scored 633 runs, including one century and four half-centuries. With an impressive average of 39.56 and a strike rate of 143.53, Gaikwad showed how dangerous he can be in this format. Nevertheless, he has been out of the T20 team for the past year, and there's been no talk of his return.

Captaincy in the IPL, but injury prevented him

Ruturaj Gaikwad is also the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL. Last season, CSK tried to make a comeback under his captaincy, but Gaikwad's injury ruled him out of the entire tournament. In his absence, MS Dhoni took over as captain, but the team's performance fell short of expectations. This season was a disappointing one for a strong team like CSK. Given Gaikwad's technique, calm demeanor, and leadership abilities, there was hope that he would soon return to international cricket, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

What is Ruturaj's path to return?

There's no question about Ruturaj Gaikwad's talent. He has repeatedly proven his worth in domestic cricket and the IPL. However, intense competition in the Indian team and a lack of consistent opportunities have made his path difficult. The question is: will the BCCI give him another chance? Will he be able to return in the series following the Australia tour? Or will he have to wait longer?

Gaikwad's fans hope that the young batsman will soon prove his mettle. But for that to happen, the BCCI will also have to give him a chance. At the moment, it will be interesting to see whether Ruturaj Gaikwad's star will shine again or he will remain unnoticed in this competitive era of cricket.