India on Wednesday named an 18-member contingent for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against West Indies. The camp features strong opening picks including Rohit Sharma, who will be leading the team after missing the South Africa tour due to a hamstring injury. The ODI bunch also has Shikhar Dhawan, who delivered with the bat against the Proteas, albeit India lost the 50-over series 0-3.
Rohit and Dhawan's presence at the top has reduced Ruturaj Gaikwad's chances of getting into the starting eleven. The 24-year-old Ruturaj, who recently slammed 603 runs in just five matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22 at a staggering average of 150.75 and four centuries, might have to wait in the wings despite showing stellar form in domestic circuit.
Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt also wants to see the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter get an opportunity in the West Indies series. Butt, who played for Pakistan between 2003 and 2010, described Ruturaj as a "fantastic" pick who has all qualities of a top-class cricketer.
“I hope Gaikwad gets a chance, he is a fantastic player. From the time I saw him in the IPL, I have said that it will be great to watch him do well in international cricket. It would be unfortunate if he does not play for a long time for India because he has all the makings of being a top-class player," said Butt on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}“I hope Gaikwad gets a chance, he is a fantastic player. From the time I saw him in the IPL, I have said that it will be great to watch him do well in international cricket. It would be unfortunate if he does not play for a long time for India because he has all the makings of being a top-class player," said Butt on his YouTube channel.
{{/usCountry}}Ruturaj was phenomenal last year in the Indian Premier League (CSK), scoring 635 runs in 16 games and playing a vital role in Chennai's title run in the UAE. The Orange Cap winner also shone in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 259 runs at an average of 51.80 and a strike rate of 149.7. Gaikwad was a part of the Indian ODI squad in South Africa but didn't feature in any of the games.
Along with Ruturaj, young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi will also look to leave a mark in the West Indies series. Bishnoi has been added to the mix while senior player Ravichandran Ashwin has been dropped from the white-ball setup. He's believed to be out for six weeks due to injury.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been also given a chance after a knee injury, and one more notable addition to the contingent is hard-hitting all-rounder Deepak Hooda, who was a part of the Nidahas Trophy squad in Sri Lanka four seasons back but didn't get a game.
The six-match series against the West Indies will feature three ODIs starting in Ahmedabad from February 6, followed by as many T20 Internationals in Kolkata.