Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has shed light on Ruturaj Gaikwad’s place in India’s T20I team. Gaikwad was not considered for the ongoing five-match series against Australia.

The right-hander from Maharashtra last played for India in a T20I series against Zimbabwe in 2024. Gaikwad scored 133 runs in three innings at an average of 66.50 and a strike rate of 158.33. But he hasn’t been picked in the Indian team since then.

Gaikwad has been in solid form in the red-ball format and has performed consistently in the domestic circuit. 

“We do not need to talk about Ruturaj Gaikwad’s class. He’s got all the shots in the book. The only thing is there is no information as to why he is not in the scene after his last T20 series. When he played the last T20 the coach was different, the captain was different. The issue is if there is no communication with such players they will largely be left in the dark. I really hope he is being communicated to. He is batting brilliantly in red ball as well. I hope they consider him for a middle-order role,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

The former CSK spinner said an opener won’t be considered for selection if he is striking at less than 145.

“In modern-day T20 cricket, you will not be selected as an opener if you come with a strike-rate of less than 145. I am very sorry to say. You like players like Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, all these players who are setting it up for you. You could win the T20 World Cup because how Virat played in the final against South Africa. But when you have players like these on one side, you need to fight on the other side. That’s why Rohit took it upon himself,” he said.

India has openers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Sanju Samson waiting in the wings.