'He hasn't been selected because of one reason' - Aakash Chopra on Ruturaj Gaikwad's non-selection as Virat Kohli's replacement for IND vs AFG ODIs

Aakash Chopra opined that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee was correct in not naming Ruturaj Gaikwad as the replacement for the injured Virat Kohli for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.

The former India opener mentioned that Gaikwad will only be picked in the side if there is room for him to play in the middle order. After Kohli was ruled out of the upcoming series with a hamstring injury, BCCI drafted Yashasvi Jaiswal into the side as his replacement.

Chopra believes that even if Gaikwad had been picked in the Indian team, he wouldn't have gotten playing opportunities as he is being looked at as someone who will bat in the middle-order.

"Why wasn't Ruturaj Gaikwad picked as Virat Kohli's replacement? As we speak, a tri-nation series is being played where Ruturaj Gaikwad has been selected as a vice-captain, and he has scored a hundred in the first match while batting at No. 4. I am saying he hasn't been selected just because of one reason. Neither he nor Yashasvi Jaiswal has a chance of playing in the XI," Chopra said.

"Neither of them would play, unless, of course, Rohit Sharma isn't fully fit and is unavailable because he had slight issues in the IPL. So, Yashavi might play as an opener, but there will be no place in the middle order. Rutu's number will also come at some stage, but he is auditioning for a middle-order role. He had scored a hundred when he was given a chance at that number. So that is where the opening should come," he added.

"It just made a lot of sense to keep him only" - Aakash Chopra on Yashasvi Jaiswal being picked ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad as Virat Kohli's replacement for IND vs AFG 2026 ODIs

Chopra believes that picking Yashasvi Jaiswal and not Gaikwad as Kohli's replacement was the correct move from the BCCI selectors.

"Since Yashasvi Jaiswal is an integral part of India's Test team and was playing this Test (one-off Test against Afghanistan) as well, it just made a lot of sense to keep him only, that he could go to Dharamsala from Chandigarh. It's a short drive. He won't get a place in the XI, as Ishan Kishan has to be played at No. 3," he said.

The 48-year-old added that playing matches for India A will be far more beneficial for Gaikwad than spending time on the bench with the national team.

"When you look at it from that perspective, where Ruturaj has a chance of playing, where he has been selected as a vice-captain, and where he can stake a claim, let him be allowed to play there. I know it's a slightly difficult one, but if at any time you have to choose between sitting on the sidelines and getting a chance to play, let them play," Chopra observed.

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Gaikwad had a dismal campaign during the Indian Premier League. However, he returned to form on Monday, June 8, scoring a fantastic century while playing for India A against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla.