Destiny is not something that comes uninvited; rather, it comes to the people that possess the right talent at the right time. The cricketing world might witness a rare phenomenon of a youthful talent who got all his wishes fulfilled, but some of the tales have been told from a different angle.
The sport of cricket has been the platform for some of the stories of some unbelievable heroes, but some of the promising talents were left climbing the never-ending ladder of opportunity grabbing. Among them, the young and upcoming player from Maharashtra, Ruturaj Gaikwad, is one of the biggest talents who proves his worth again and again, yet the non-stop waiting for his big break has become his only constant.
He made his debut in the famous blue jersey in 2021, and his international appearances remained limited to two words: replacement and bench warmer. Each time he got the big stage, he delivered, and yet the question still lingers: What did he get in return?
Who could have been the biggest asset of India is now just a matter of waiting on the sidelines. Even after scoring a century in the second ODI against South Africa, he has been taken out of the Indian ODI squad for the New Zealand series. You might ask, “How is this possible?”—and the whole cricketing world is exactly asking the same question.
Fate ordained to be glorious but stuck in the cruel limbo of cricket
Every young cricketer who falls in love with the game at first sight represents himself in the Indian jersey and performs the winning part in front of the mirror. Every time he catches, he tries to be like Jonty Rhodes; every six turns him into Yuvraj Singh, and the bowler thinks he is Kapil Dev. But is it ever the case that life gives its dreams without hurdles?
Many people wish to be the ones who represent the country, but only a few will really experience it. Just because they aren’t footed does not mean they can’t carry their weight. Definitely not, Ruturaj Gaikwad is the star, and the one who has all the skills the game requires but still waits to reach the final destination.
The talented wicketkeeper-batter from Maharashtra proved his worth and lived his dream of donning the national colors during the year 2021. Once he grabbed the position, everyone thought that India had got a future superstar who would shoulder the nation’s responsibilities in a very caring way.
Still, the movie is less than reality in an aspect: the former follows a script while the latter doesn’t and Gaikwad found it hard to cope with. What was once a success saga waiting to be written actually turned out to be a tale of sidelines with questionable snubs and puzzling selections that marked it. Even after performing his very best almost all the time for five years, he only got to play 32 international matches and scored 861 runs.
The question arises: If domestic runs are the yardstick, why is Gaikwad still in the waiting list?
For any young cricketer all over the world, domestic cricket along with the agent’s and the scout’s abilities would be the main stage to reveal their talent and many of them manage to do so brilliantly. From grinding red-ball struggles to explosive domestic T20s, the emerging stars have sometimes left the cricketing world in amazement. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s dreams regarding the cricket world first began to be realized when he got to wear the Maharashtra jersey back in 2016.
He established a promising journey that would last a long time and soon Gaikwad dazzled everyone with his weaving of excellence not only in the red-ball but across the whole format. The batter scored 3146 runs in 43 matches in domestic red-ball format with 9 hundreds and 16 fifties. When words fall short, stats speak for themselves.
And why not just the longest format when the domestic white-ball format saw the best of Gaikwad? He enthralled everyone with his mix of batting genius and smart power-hitting. His statistics of 4,904 runs in 97 List A matches, which included 19 hundreds and 19 fifties, along with 5,002 runs in 151 domestic T20 games, confirm that his numbers are speaking louder than the silence around his name.
The ongoing domestic season is a living proof that numbers can’t lie. He is making a mark in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after completing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with a bang. The question is if the domestic cricket is the backbone of the international success then why is Gaikwad’s journey still taking such a confusing detour?
He is putting up an unbelievable show on the domestic stage but the selectors are still not seeing his efforts. What could have been a series of chances is now turning into a single chance followed by a heartbreak. The reason for such a situation? It is a mystery.
A hundred in the previous ODI series, however, as a consequence he missed out
After a prolonged period of being ignored and having his heart broken Ruturaj Gaikwad finally got his chance to stake his claim in Team India’s ODI squad for the three-match series against South Africa. Even though the first match turned out to be a disappointment, he might have felt a danger and let loose his absolutely best.
Facing the formidable Proteas, Gaikwad displayed his elegant style on the pitch and the world stopped to view his excellence. After a brilliant half-century in 52 balls, he continued to score. Hitting the ball all over the park, he made a hundred off 77 balls and gave a big lift to the Blue Army.
The world just about had him down as the real deal with hopes high of seeing a lot more of him in India blue. But life takes another cruel kick. When the selectors announced the squad for the ODI series against New Zealand, Ruturaj Gaikwad was left out once again – and this time for no obvious reason.
A bloke who’d just scored an ODI century was left out of the next series. He feels like he’s being made to feel like he’s not available, but this is all just par for the course in Gaikwad’s life. He’s worked his socks off, put in a good show whenever he’s got a chance and yet he’s still not getting the reward he deserves – another snub.
What in the world can Gaikwad do to finally get past that unseen glass ceiling?
To be honest, life isn’t worth much without a challenge or battle to fight, but when it’s an uphill struggle against inexplicable hurdles, then it becomes the toughest of all. Cricket asks for some things, and Gaikwad has always delivered. It asks for consistency, and ticked that box. Fans go wild about centuries, and he’s done that. The situation demands a level headed and responsible batter, and he’s stepped up to the plate with a brave heart.
He has a track record of delivering on the domestic scene, wowing people with his skills in the IPL & even shining when given a chance to play for his country. One season wonders can be flukes, but a decade long run of brilliance is harder to ignore. Snubs because of form or consistency can be understood, but what explanation can possibly justify Gaikwad’s case?
He’s doing his part, and yet the selection process is just out of reach for him. And the story just goes on & on. But for how long will it keep going on like this? When Sanju Samson misses out on selection people start raising their voices. When Shami gets left out of the team, they question the whole selection process. If they can speak up for those guys, then why not for Ruturaj Gaikwad?
As the current lot of seniors are reaching the end of their careers, it won’t be long before the youngsters take over. When that happens, on the revamped team, Gaikwad could be the secret ingredient that makes all the difference. He just needs to keep grinding, and I’m sure destiny will eventually catch up and turn the game’s overlooked superhero into a force to be reckoned with. But first, the selection drama needs to end with a fair answer.
