R Ashwin's Brutal 'Criteria' For Ruturaj Gaikwad As BCCI Prefers Rishabh Pant For NZ ODIs

Ruturaj Gaikwad, one of the most promising batters in Indian cricket, finds himself in the waiting queue once again, despite scoring a century against South Africa in the recently concluded series. Gaikwad, who is considered an all-format batter for India by many, couldn't break into the Indian squad for the New Zealand ODI series, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee opting to pick Rishabh Pant instead. Seeing Ruturaj miss the selection bus again, his former Chennai Super Kings teammate Ravichandran Ashwin empathised with the top-order batter as he spoke about the ruthless nature of elite sport.

"Could Gaikwad have been kept in the squad? I think that was a real possibility," Ashwin remarked in a video on his YouTube channel, reflecting the thoughts of many fans.

The former India spinner feels the selectors had to pick one player between Ruturaj and Rishabh Pant, with the latter being preferred primarily because he is a left-hander. 

Ashwin asserted that Shreyas Iyer's return from injury was undisputed, as it was "his rightful position." However, the choice to prioritise a second specialist keeper felt like a missed opportunity to harness a rare batting talent like Ruturaj. 

"Between a second wicketkeeper and a batter, you can get a keeper from anywhere to cover," he opined.

Ashwin didn't hold back on his admiration for Gaikwad's technical prowess. While many see Ruturaj as a traditional opener, Ashwin sees a versatile anchor capable of transforming into a middle-order option. 

"At four or five, I'm sticking my neck out, his batting against spin, his running between the wickets, and his ability to close out an innings is phenomenal."

"My main concern is Ruturaj Gaikwad's mindset," Ashwin admitted. "His T20 numbers are excellent, yet he doesn't get consistent opportunities. Right now, it's a straight choice between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rishabh Pant, with Pant having the advantage of being a left-hander."

Ashwin on Ruturaj Dropped #RuturajGaikwad #BCCI pic.twitter.com/xKFCzHHbcn

— Unfiltered (@BreakingNe25387) January 3, 2026

Way Forward For Ruturaj

For Gaikwad, the path forward is blocked by legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ashwin admitted the harsh reality of the current era: "Ruturaj will likely get a long run in ODIs only after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire from the format."

Ashwin had also taken to social media after the BCCI confirmed the squad for the New Zealand series, encouraging Ruturaj to 'never give up'.

It is a test of patience as much as skill. As the sun set over the stadium, Ashwin took to X (formerly Twitter) to offer a final piece of seasoned advice to the young batter:

"No matter how you feel. Get up, dress up, pad up, show up and never give up. It can be hard to miss but such is the competition for places in the Indian team. #RuturajGaikwad"

No matter how you feel.

Get up, dress up, pad up, show up and never give up.

It can be hard to miss but such is the competition for places in the Indian team. #RuturajGaikwad pic.twitter.com/A1taarpMdF

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 3, 2026

The message is clear, in the theatre of Indian cricket, the only thing a player can control is their preparedness for the opportunity, whenever the door opens. 

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Ruturaj Gaikwad Rishabh Pant Ravichandran Ashwin India vs New Zealand 2026 Cricket