Ruturaj Gaikwad has strengthened his claim for a permanent place in India’s ODI team with consistent performances in both domestic and international cricket. His ability to score runs under pressure and adapt to different situations has highlighted his importance as a reliable middle-order batsman for India’s future plans.
The ongoing Tri-Nation A series in Sri Lanka has provided Gaikwad with another opportunity to impress. He joined the India A team in place of the injured Riyan Parag and was made the vice-captain of the team. Gaikwad, who bats at number 4, has been given an important role in the middle order in the tournament.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, player who scores consecutive runs in domestic cricket
Ruturaj Gaikwad made an immediate impact in India A’s opening match against Sri Lanka A. He came to the crease with the team in trouble at 16/2 and responded by scoring 101 runs off 114 balls. Gaikwad made an important partnership of 150 runs with Tilak Verma which laid the foundation of India’s victory.
The right-handed batsman continued his form in the next game against Afghanistan A by scoring 66 runs from 80 balls. He once again shared a partnership of 78 runs with Tilak Verma, helping India A score 349/9. However, Afghanistan A secured a close win through DLS.
After two matches in the Tri-Nation A Series, Gaikwad has scored 167 runs at an average of 83.50. His century against Sri Lanka A was his 21st List A century, making him the fastest batsman in the world to reach the milestone, achieving the feat in just 96 matches.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Excellent List A Records
Ruturaj Gaikwad has carved an excellent record in List A cricket and currently holds the highest batting average of 59.32 in the history of the format. He has scored 5,160 runs in 96 innings in 50-over cricket, which includes 21 centuries and 19 half-centuries.
His average of 59.32 is higher than ODI greats Virat Kohli (57.91) and Michael Bevan (57.86). Gaikwad is jointly sixth with Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir in the list of most List A centuries.
Gaikwad has been particularly effective when batting first. In 48 innings, he averages 62.51 and has scored 13 centuries, which shows his ability to score big and set strong totals for his team.
One of his most memorable innings came in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy, when he scored 220 for Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh. During that innings, he hit seven sixes in a single over bowled by Shiva Singh.
The perfect solution to India’s search for reliable midrange backup
Ruturaj Gaikwad has played nine ODI matches for India, scoring 228 runs in eight innings at an average of 28.50. His best performance came against Australia in Mohali, where he scored 71 runs from 77 balls while opening with Shubman Gill.
His numbers in the middle order are even more impressive. Batting between No. 4 and No. 7, Gaikwad averages 56.50 and strike rate 116.49, including his maiden ODI century of 105 off 83 balls against South Africa in Raipur.
Gaikwad’s ability to rotate the strike, build partnerships and handle pressure makes him a valuable option in the middle order. While India already have players like Shreyas Iyer, Riyan Parag and Tilak Verma, Gaikwad’s consistency and versatility make him a strong backup option for the ODI team.
BCCI ignored Ruturaj Gaikwad and chose Yashasvi Jaiswal as Virat Kohli’s replacement for the ODI series against Afghanistan.
