India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, addressed the media in a pre-match press conference ahead of the first T20I against South Africa, where he faced some challenging questions. One pressing inquiry concerned Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s continued absence from India’s T20I squad. Over the past year, Gaikwad has established himself as a standout performer across all formats in the domestic cricket scene, impressing with his skill in both red-ball and white-ball formats. Despite his remarkable performances, Gaikwad remains on the fringes regarding national selection.
In response, Suryakumar emphasized the team management’s process for selecting players, highlighting the depth of talented individuals vying for spots in the national squad. “Rutu is a fantastic player who has consistently performed in every format he plays. But many others have also been performing well before him, so the management established a set process, and it’s crucial to respect and follow that,” he explained.
Suryakumar expressed optimism for Gaikwad’s future, adding, “He’s young and performing well. Uska bhi number aayega. Uska bhi time aayega. (His time will come).”
Gaikwad recently shined in the T20I series against Zimbabwe, scoring 133 runs with an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 158.33. Leading CSK in the IPL, he has also captained India C in the Duleep Trophy and the Rest of India team for the Irani Cup. Currently, Gaikwad captains India A in an unofficial Test series in Australia.
Despite his accomplishments, Gaikwad seems to be missing a final push for regular national selection. However, his consistent performances in India’s domestic circuit have undoubtedly marked him as a promising prospect for the future.
Image Credits: SportsTiger
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