Ruturaj Gaikwad was included in the Indian playing eleven after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the South Africa series due to injury. He seized the opportunity with open hands and responded by scoring a century in 77 balls; However, the only question in the Indian dressing room was whether this would actually affect Shreyas Iyer’s place in the Indian team.
India may not have managed to win the series in Raipur, but Ruturaj Gaikwad’s spectacular comeback to international cricket after a period of 700+ days cannot be underestimated. Gaikwad may have failed to capitalize on it in Ranchi, but he performed well when it mattered most.
India made a huge score of 358 runs for the Men in Blue with the help of Ruturaj Gaikwad’s top score of 105 runs. The century innings of 77 balls included 14 fours, out of which 2 were huge sixes. However, despite all the uncertainties, Gaikwad’s place remains in the Indian XI.
I was told I would bat at number 4: Ruturaj Gaikwad
After Indian vice-captain Shreyas Iyer was kept out of action for months after suffering an injury in Sydney during India’s final ODI on the Australia tour, India named Ruturaj Gaikwad as his replacement.
The CSK captain is not a random player, but he has fought his way through all the thorns to get his name engraved in the history books. Gaikwad has 4000+ List A career runs with an average of over 56, and he got this opportunity after a solid performance against South Africa A in the unofficial ODI series. He scored 210 runs in three innings with the help of one century and fifty.
Although there were initially questions whether Gaikwad would be given a place in the playing eleven, considering that there are other big names like Rishabh Pant in the team, the Indian coach showed confidence in him and he has performed well from every aspect of his game.
Ruturaj Gaikwad said after his century in Raipur: “I was told that I would be batting at No. 4 in this series and encouraged to enjoy my game. I feel fortunate to have that kind of confidence from the management in an opener who can bat at No. 4. The coach told me to enjoy the game and play my natural game.”
Ruturaj said, “I was told that I would bat at number 4 in this series and encouraged to enjoy my game. I think it is a blessing from the management to have such confidence in an opening batsman who can bat at number four. The coach told me to enjoy the game and play my natural game.” [Press] pic.twitter.com/wKvWI3pKsE
– Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) 4 December 2025
Does Shreyas Iyer still own the number? 4 chair?
However, despite all the praise and all the hype for Gaikwad, who has shown that he can be quite promising in the middle order as well, despite his natural role of an opening batsman, the harsh reality is that he is up against Shreyas Iyer for the same spot in the ODI team.
Shreyas Iyer has not got the expected luck with the Indian team; However, now in the ODI format, he is no longer the only middle-order batting option; He is the vice-captain of the team. Iyer once came to stabilize India’s middle-order batting and has scored 1900+ runs in almost 40 innings at an average of around 51 and a strike rate close to 100.
This clearly shows that when Shreyas Iyer goes back to that dressing room, he goes straight to that number. 4 posts. Then Ruturaj Gaikwad will probably not be given a place in the eleven.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is the most viable number. 3 for India in the post-Rohit-Kohli era
While Ruturaj Gaikwad may not have been able to nail down his role in the Indian team, he has indeed performed well at an important occasion and will definitely be the beneficiary of this brilliant innings. Gaikwad is no longer a try-and-pick option and will remain India’s reserve batting option for the upcoming tours.
Moreover, with this century, he has shown that he can survive and then accelerate at any point of time during the game, which makes him one of the most viable candidates for India’s middle order in the post-Rohit-Virat era, i.e. after the departure of two stalwarts, two spots become vacant.
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