3 ODI players who deserve a chance in India's Test squad
Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad have built strong red-ball cases through domestic cricket, yet all three remain outside India's Test plans for now.
1. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Maharashtra opener Ruturaj Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 101 off 172 balls against Jharkhand in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, reaching his tenth first-class century. Notably, that knock came while batting at No. 7, a position well below his usual spot in the order, pointing to his willingness to adapt to team needs.
Across 49 first-class matches, Gaikwad has accumulated close to 3,500 runs at approximately 45, with 10 centuries and 18 fifties. His 2025-26 Ranji Trophy campaign was particularly strong: 364 runs in five innings at an average of 121.33, with scores of 91, an unbeaten 55 and 116 among them. He was previously considered for India's Test tour of South Africa in 2023-24 but was ruled out due to injury before he could make his debut.
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