Ruturaj Gaikwad has made his way back into the Indian ODI setup, earning a spot for the three-match series against South Africa in Ranchi starting November 28. The 28-year-old Maharashtra batter, who also leads Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, was drafted into the squad after Shubman Gill’s unavailability.
This marks Gaikwad’s first appearance in an ODI squad since December 19, 2023, when he featured against South Africa in Gqeberha—a match in which senior players were rested before the Test series. His most recent outing for India in any format came on July 13, 2024, in a T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare. Ahead of the series opener, the BCCI shared a video on X where Gaikwad expressed his excitement about returning to the national side. In the clip, he says, “It’s good to be back in blue, and I’m really looking forward to again playing for Team India.”
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Action 🎬A fun BTS sneak peek as #TeamIndia gets ready for the #INDvSA ODI series opener in Ranchi 🥳@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/JK2IdsxnJ8
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 29, 2025
Competition For Playing XI Spots
Despite Gaikwad’s inclusion, a spot in the playing XI remains uncertain, at least for the opening position. Yashasvi Jaiswal currently sits ahead of him in the hierarchy and is expected to open alongside Rohit Sharma. Jaiswal, India’s highest-ranked Test batter, made his ODI debut earlier this year on February 6 against England in Nagpur but managed only 15 runs on debut. However, Gaikwad’s recent form may give him an opportunity elsewhere in the lineup.
He made a strong case for himself with standout performances in the three unofficial ODIs for India A against South Africa A in Rajkot. With Shreyas Iyer unavailable, the No. 4 slot is open for consideration. The current contenders for that position include Tilak Varma and Rishabh Pant, but Gaikwad’s consistency and recent run-scoring could prompt the team management to test him at No. 4, offering India more flexibility in the middle order.
KL Rahul Set To Lead The Side
With Gill missing from the squad, KL Rahul has been appointed captain for the ODI series. Rahul, who continues to serve as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs, brings leadership experience, having previously captained India in a three-match ODI series against South Africa in December 2023. Under his captaincy, India secured a 2-1 series victory. As the team prepares for the upcoming series, Rahul’s return to the leadership role and Gaikwad’s comeback add new dynamics to India’s setup as they look to build depth ahead of future tournaments.
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