The selection of the Indian squads for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour has sparked debate, particularly regarding the omission of Ruturaj Gaikwad. Despite scoring 133 valuable runs in three innings during the recent Zimbabwe tour, even while batting out of position, Gaikwad finds himself on the outside looking in.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s exclusion raises eyebrows

This decision comes on the heels of another puzzling selection call. Earlier, Rinku Singh, who had a decent ODI series leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, was surprisingly dropped from the final squad to accommodate Shivam Dube. While Rinku remained with the team as a reserve and has since shown promise in his limited opportunities, Gaikwad’s exclusion remains unexplained.

S Badrinath suggests unseen factors at play

Former cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath, who has represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the past, recently waded into the controversy. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Badrinath suggested that strong performances might not be the sole criteria for selection in the Indian team. His comments, delivered in Tamil, hinted that factors beyond cricketing ability, such as bad guy image or having a relationship with a Bollywood actresses, could be playing a role.

“Sometimes it seems like you need a bad guy image when the likes of Rinku Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad and others are not selected for the Indian team. It seems that you need to be in a relationship with some Bollywood actresses, have a good media manager, and have body tattoos,”  the Tamil Nadu lad said on ‘Cric Debate with Badri.’

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Gaikwad’s recent form warrants consideration

Gaikwad’s recent form presents a compelling argument for his inclusion. He was a key contributor to India’s Gold medal win at the 2023 Asian Games and has consistently found runs as a member of the national ‘A’ team. Even after adjusting to the middle order following the emergence of another young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gaikwad maintained his scoring prowess. His impressive performances were last week acknowledged with a rise in the ICC T20I rankings for batters, placing him at number 8.

However, with India opting for just two openers (Shubman Gill and Jaiswal) in their T20I squad for SL tour and the return of Rohit Sharma to the ODI setup, there was simply no room for Gaikwad in either format.

Questions remain for the selectors

The BCCI selection committee’s choices regarding Gaikwad and Rinku have left many fans and pundits scratching their heads. With the Sri Lanka series upon them, the selectors will be hoping that their decisions are vindicated on the field. However, the lingering questions surrounding these omissions highlight the need for greater transparency in the selection process.

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