Former India spinner R. Ashwin has called on the Indian team management to offer Ruturaj Gaikwad a longer, uninterrupted run in ODI cricket, even when senior batters Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill return from their injury breaks. Ashwin’s appeal came in the wake of Gaikwad’s maiden ODI century in Raipur. This knock not only showcased his class but reopened the long-standing debate around India’s middle-order stability.

Speaking on his YouTube show, Ashwin praised Gaikwad’s temperament, shot selection, and ability to dominate spin in the middle overs—an increasingly rare skill in modern 50-over cricket. Ashwin emphasised that it was the management’s responsibility to carve out space for a player of such calibre, especially when he has consistently delivered across formats but has seldom received consecutive opportunities.

Gaikwad’s century against South Africa was a masterclass in pacing an innings. Walking in after the Proteas chose to bowl, the Chennai Super Kings skipper settled in during the early middle overs, reaching his half-century in 52 balls. He then accelerated beautifully, bringing up his maiden ODI ton in just 77 deliveries. His partnership of 195 runs with Virat Kohli became the highlight of India’s innings, blending Kohli’s precision with Gaikwad’s calculated aggression.

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Kohli, fresh off a century in the previous ODI, was content rotating strike and punishing loose balls, but it was Gaikwad who took the lead against South Africa’s spin attack. His assault on Keshav Maharaj during a pivotal phase, especially showcasing inside-out strokes and fearless lofted shots over mid-on, reflected a batter in complete control.

It was a style distinct from Kohli’s traditionally cautious approach against left-arm orthodox bowlers, and one that added layers to India’s scoring rate. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s promotion came mainly due to injuries to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. However, his recent form for India A—featuring a century and fifty against South Africa A—made the team management confident about playing him at No. 4 rather than as an opener.

Ravinchandran Ashwin supported this move, stating that Gaikwad’s slight vulnerability to the moving ball is better managed in the middle order, where he can immediately dominate spin and use his excellent running between the wickets.

Highlighting his versatility, Ravinchandran Ashwin said, “He has all the shots, handles seamers well, dominates spin, and runs smartly. There is nothing more he needs to prove to bat at No. 4 in ODIs. Even when Shreyas returns, there must be a way to fit Ruturaj in. A player of this pedigree deserves a long run.”

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Despite the 195-run stand, India fell short as their total of 358 wasn’t enough on a dew-heavy evening in Raipur, with both centurions unable to convert their hundreds into bigger scores. Yet Gaikwad’s innings stood out as a defining moment—he became the first Indian No. 4 since the 2023 World Cup to score an ODI hundred.

With only eight ODIs in three years, Gaikwad’s stop-start journey has been frustrating. But his Raipur statement has now made his role one of the biggest talking points as India’s roadmap towards the 2027 ODI World Cup begins to take shape.