Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has questioned the team management and selectors for their handling of Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand. Gaikwad was not picked for the ODI series against the Kiwis despite scoring a fine knock of 105 runs off just 83 balls in the second ODI against South Africa.
The right-hander batted out of position at number four in the ODI series against the Proteas. Chopra noted Gaikwad’s place in the team was always vulnerable once Shreyas Iyer was available for selection.
Iyer has been named in the ODI series against the Blackcaps but his final selection is subject to fitness.
“Ruturaj made a hundred, scored runs out of position, and you dropped him. You had to drop him because as soon as Shreyas Iyer becomes available, he will only play at No. 4. So why did you play Ruturaj Gaikwad at No. 4?” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator said Gaikwad would not have been considered for selection for New Zealand ODIs in case he had not scored runs against the Proteas.
“You would have written his obituary if he had failed there. However, when he has done well, you have still dropped him. So what’s the philosophy? I feel the way Ruturaj Gaikwad was first picked and then dropped, played out of position, is not right,” the cricketer-turned-commentator observed.
“He got out early in the first match. Dewald Brevis took an incredible catch. If he had gotten out early in the second and third matches as well, they would have said that so much ruckus had been created to play Rutu, his Vijay Hazare Trophy is not going that well and we played him out of turn, but he got out, so there is no reason to play him now, and that story is done. So you basically write a cricketer’s obituary,” he added.
Gaikwad has been in rich form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 257 runs in five matches at an average of over 64 and a blistering strike rate of 120.65. The right-handed batter would look to carry his good form and keep knocking on the selectors’ doors.
