Sanju Samson blamed for destroying Ruturaj Gaikwad's career

Former Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up about Ruturaj Gaikwad falling behind in the pecking order in the national cricket team in the shorter format. Ravichandran Ashwin said that the emergence of wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has pushed Ruturaj Gaikwad out of the playing XI.

Gaikwad last played for India in a T20I against Zimbabwe in July 2024 and in an ODI in December 2023. The right-handed batter has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. However, Gaikwad was overlooked for the England T20I series, leading to confusion about why he wasn't considered for selection.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Scored a 100, Took Maxwell to the Cleaners - Ravichandran Ashwin

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin said that Ruturaj Gaikwad's exclusion is not the fault of the selectors. Ashwin said that there is fierce competition for spots in India's top order. Ashwin added that Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill are vying for limited positions.

"India's top order is packed. Up top, we have a lot of contenders. Ruturaj, Yashasvi, Shubman Gill… they are either playing one-day cricket or aren't in the scheme of things. In his last T20I, Gaikwad scored a 100, and took Maxwell to the cleaners. But he hasn't gotten an opportunity since. It's because there are so many people competing for two spots," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Smashed His Maiden Century Against Australia in 2023

Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a consistent performer for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. He made his T20I debut in 2021 and smashed his maiden century against Australia in 2023. Gaikwad was not selected for the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Rohit Sharma guided the team to India's second T20 World Cup.

Following Rohit Sharma's retirement and Yashasvi Jaiswal's Test commitments, India opted for Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma as their T20I openers and the duo have been delivering aggressive starts. Ashwin emphasized how difficult it is for someone of Gaikwad's caliber to cut into the team.

Sanju Samson Has Taken One of Those Two Places - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin highlighted how Sanju Samson secured a spot in the team by scoring two centuries. Ashwin stated that Abhishek Sharma handled the pressure in competition for the spot and received a message from the team management to play freely and without stress.

"Sanju Samson has taken one out of those two places. He scored two centuries. And came out of the syllabus. A No. 3 batter opened, scored runs, and booked his slot. For the other one, pressure was mounting on Abhishek Sharma. He knew that players were gunning for that slot, including Gaikwad. The way he played under pressure. He got a message from the team management that you have the freedom to go and play carefree," added Ashwin.

India is currently playing a five-match T20I series against England at home. Samson and Abhishek retained their places as openers. Samson scored three centuries in the last six innings. Abhishek made an impressive debut by scoring a century in his second T20I, and his last three scores read 50, 36, and 79.

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