BCCI named India’s 15-man ODI squad against South Africa, with KL Rahul as stand-in captain for injured Shubman Gill. Ruturaj Gaikwad returns after strong India A performances, sparking fan excitement and hopes that he can secure a permanent spot.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee on Sunday announced the India squad for the upcoming ODI series against South Africa. The three-match ODI series between India and South Africa will begin on November 30, with the opening game slated to take place at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi.
Following the conclusion of Day 2’s play of the ongoing second and final Test of the series between India and South Africa in Guwahati, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, met in Mumbai later that day to finalise India’s 15‑man ODI squad.
With just a week away from the opening match of the ODI series against South Africa, the BCCI finalised the squad, ensuring a balanced combination of experienced players and promising talents to take on the Proteas. With Shubman Gill ruled out, KL Rahul has been appointed as the stand-in captain for the South Africa ODI series.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Returns to ODI squad
One of the biggest news from India’s squad announcement is that Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to the ODI squad. Ruturaj’s inclusion in the 15-member ODI squad was based on his performance in the three-match unofficial series for India A against South Africa A in Kanpur, where he scored 210 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 105.00 in three matches.
Maharashtra cricketer’s last appearance in ODI cricket was against South Africa in 2023, and since then, he has been focusing on domestic performances and India A tours to earn a recall to the national side. Despite consistently performing well in List A cricket, especially for India A and Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ruturaj had to wait patiently for an opportunity to return to the national side.
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With his performance in the unofficial ODI series against South Africa, Ruturaj Gaikwad earned back his spot in the national side. After two years, Maharashtra captain got another opportunity to prove his mettle on the international stage and stake a claim for a regular spot in India’s ODI lineup.
With Shubman Gill being ruled out of the ODI series, and opener’s slot is open, allowing players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal to stake their claim and cement their place in the playing XI. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja made his return to the ODI setup after he was not selected for the white-ball tour of Australia.
Fans Ecstatic over Ruturaj Gaikwad’s ODI Recall
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s inclusion in the ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa drew massive reactions from fans and cricket enthusiasts, who were thrilled to see the talented Maharashtra batter getting another opportunity to prove his skills on an international stage.
Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts anticipated Ruturaj Gaikwad’s ODI recall given his recent performances in the unofficial series against South Africa A, while others were elated over the opportunity to see fresh talent make an impact in the upcoming ODI series.
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Ruturaj Gaikwad has a not-so-good record in ODIs, aggregating 119 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 19.16 in six matches. However, Maharashtra batter has an impressive record in List A cricket, amassing 4534 runs, including 17 centuries and 18 fifties, at an average of 57.39 in 89 matches.