IND vs BAN: "Shubman Gill is India's next captain"- Former Indian cricketer confirms BCCI's stance

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad may struggle to secure a regular spot in the Indian team.

Aakash Chopra said that Ruturaj Gaikwad might not be included in the squad in any format at present as Shubman Gill has gone far ahead in that race.

Ruturaj was not included in the Indian team for the Test series against Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill was included in the squad for the home series.

The first Test of the two-match series will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, starting on September 19.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Has A Fan Club Now - Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opened up about Ruturaj's position in the Indian cricket team. Chopra praised Gaikwad's batting technique, describing it as technically compact.

"He has a fan club now. A base has been created that likes Ruturaj Gaikwad, which is fair. Honestly, when Rutu bats - 'Dukh bhare din beete re bhaiya, ab sukh aayo re' - you get a feeling like that," Chopra said.

"You watch him playing drives with the straight bat, cut shots and pulls. He looks technically compact, batting like pure desi ghee," he added.

At Least For Another One To One-And-A-Half Years - Aakash Chopra

The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Ruturaj Gaikwad will have to wait for at least one to one-and-a-half years to secure a spot in the Indian team. Chopra pointed out that Gill is seen as the superstar and the future captain of the Indian team.

"However, what is happening with Ruturaj Gaikwad is that at this point, at least for another one to one-and-a-half years, he is at the wrong time. Shubman Gill has gone far ahead in that race."

"Whoever is attached to Indian cricket, whether it's the captain, coaches or selectors, everyone has decided that Shubman Gill is your next captain and superstar," Chopra added.

Shubman Gill was appointed as captain of the India national cricket team for the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July this year. The right-handed batter led the Indian team to a 4-1 victory. Shubman was also the vice-captain in India's white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

Shubman Gill's number 3 spot is all but confirmed

In the same video, Aakash Chopra said that Ruturaj Gaikwad is unlikely to secure a spot in Test cricket. He pointed out that there isn't an available position with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma occupying the top-order spots.

"There aren't too many places. If we talk about Test cricket, Yashasvi (Jaiswal) is there with Rohit (Sharma) at the top. They will remain for quite some time."

"Then Shubman Gill has come at No. 3, Virat Kohli is at No. 4, and then you will have a wicketkeeper, which is Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul at No. 5 at the moment, and someone else might come later."

Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored 115 runs in six ODIs at a disappointing average of 19.17. However, he has performed better in T20Is, amassing 633 runs at an average of 39.56 and a strike rate of 143.53, with one century and four half-centuries.

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