WI ODIs crucial for Ruturaj Gaikwad's 2027 World Cup ambitions
Synopsis
The upcoming ODI series against West Indies is a crucial test for Ruturaj Gaikwad's international career. Returning as a middle-order option in Shreyas Iyer's absence, his performance could determine his path towards the 2027 World Cup.
Ruturaj has made his return to the team as a middle-order option in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who is away in Japan with eyes set on Asian Games men's cricket gold in T20I format as a captain.
Gaikwad's Career: ODI vs List A
The IPL 2021 Orange Cap winner with 635 runs has seen only a few ODI opportunities in his career so far, despite being an exceptional force in List A cricket. In nine ODIs and eight innings, Ruturaj has scored 228 runs at an average of 28.50, with a strike rate of 89.50, including a century and a fifty, with a best score of 105 scored against South Africa last year, where he batted in the absence of an injured Shreyas.
The 29-year-old enjoys one of the best List-A cricket records in the world, with 5,334 runs in 104 matches and 100 innings at an average of 58.61, with 21 centuries, 20 fifties, a best score of 220* and a strike rate of 101.23.
Scorching Form in 50-Over Cricket
While his recent red-ball outings for India A and in the Duleep Trophy were largely underwhelming, Ruturaj still continues to be a prolific force in the 50-over format, be it for India, India A or his state, Maharashtra.
Post the IPL 2025, Ruturaj has been on a scorching run of form in the 50-over format across all levels. His series-to-series breakdown is: South Africa A tour of India (November 2025): 210 runs, three innings, average of 105.00, one century and one fifty with best score of 117. South Africa vs India ODIs (November to December 2025): 113 runs, two innings, average of 56.50, best score of 105. Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 (December to January 2025): 413 runs in seven innings at an average of 82.60, with two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 134*. (Top-scorer for Maharashtra) India A tour to Sri Lanka for tri-nation series (June 2026): 274 runs, five innings, average of 54.80, with a century and a fifty each, including a best score of 101.
Overall, all these outings add up to produce a stat sheet of 1,010 runs in 17 innings at an average of 72.14, with five centuries and three fifties. These numbers come at a time when Shreyas is not only busy with T20I captaincy duties, but also facing a slight lean patch in ODIs, having made just 219 runs in nine innings at an average of 27.37, including just one fifty.
Crucial Series for World Cup 2027 Contention
In Iyer's absence, a consistent run in these three ODIs and a run of rich scores could place him among contenders for 2027 WC back-ups, with Team India's middle-order needing as much strength as possible to ease the pressure off the top three of skipper Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Could this series be a pivotal point of Ruturaj's career in Blues? Could he board a flight to South Africa? It's up to Ruturaj to make it count. (ANI)