Ruturaj Gaikwad has been drafted into the India A squad for next month’s 50-over tri-series in Sri Lanka, replacing the injured Riyan Parag and taking over the vice-captaincy in the process.
A brief BCCI release confirmed the switch on Friday afternoon. “Parag has been advised rest and will undergo rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru,” the statement read. The all-rounder carried a hamstring niggle through the back end of the IPL, helping Rajasthan Royals reach Qualifier 2 before the injury finally caught up with him.
For Gaikwad, the call-up arrives on the back of a mixed IPL campaign. His first season as Chennai Super Kings captain finished in eighth place and his own returns – 337 runs at 28.08, strike rate 123.44 – hardly set the tournament alight. Selectors, though, have focused on his more recent 50-over record. He topped the charts against South Africa A last November with 210 runs in three games, then piled up 413 runs for Maharashtra during the Vijay Hazare Trophy at an average north of 80.
“You can’t ignore that kind of List-A consistency,” former national selector Devang Gandhi told Cricbuzz. “Ruturaj has runs behind him and leadership experience, so the promotion makes sense.”
Tilak Varma remains captain. India A open the series against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on 9 June, meet Afghanistan A two days later, and, should they qualify, contest the final on 19 June.
Full squad: Tilak Varma (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-capt), Priyansh Arya, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Kumar Kushagra (wk), Vipraj Nigam, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Arshad Khan, Anukul Roy.
Former Sri Lanka coach Nic Pothas, familiar with Dambulla’s day-night conditions, offered a gentle warning. “The ball can grip early before skidding on later. Batters and bowlers both need to adjust quickly,” he said, hinting at the examination that awaits India’s fringe players.
Parag’s setback is unfortunate, but the wider aim of the tour – exposing emerging cricketers to testing conditions – remains intact. For Gaikwad, the assignment doubles as a chance to put a difficult IPL behind him and re-state his one-day credentials.
