After Ruturaj Gaikwad’s innings in the third ODI was stopped on 57 by Jayden Seales in New Chandigarh on Saturday, he dragged himself off the field, perhaps wondering when his next chance for India would come.
Gaikwad made it to the ODI squad for the home series against West Indies only because Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel were all away in Japan at the time, representing India in the Asian Games.
In the lead-up to the second ODI in Guwahati, Gaikwad had said in an interview with Ian Bishop on Star Sports: “Yes, sometimes it [the uncertainty] is hard to process, but you have to enjoy playing for your country.”
After watching the top order pile on the runs in the first two ODIs on flat pitches, Gaikwad had an opportunity for a rare, long hit-out in the middle in New Chandigarh in the third ODI after Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli had fallen cheaply. But he didn’t really make a good fist of it, despite West Indies handing him four lives. His luck eventually ran out when Seales got extra bounce and had Gaikwad spooning a catch to point.
Iyer and Co. will be back by the time India play their next ODI series – a five-match rubber – in New Zealand in November. Though Gaikwad is versatile enough to bat at the top as well as in the middle order at No. 4, it’s hard to see him breaking into India’s first-choice ODI XI. At best, he could make the World Cup cut next year as a spare batter, though competition for that spot is also intense.
Three days after scratching his way to 57 off 69 balls in New Chandigarh, Gaikwad has another chance to redeem himself and keep himself in India’s ODI mix when he turns out for India A in the first of the three one-dayers against Australia A in Puducherry.
Considering the presence of Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Devdutt Padikkal, B Sai Sudharsan and Arshin Kulkarni, Gaikwad is likely to slot in at No. 4 and helm the middle order apart from leading the team.