Star India cricketer URGES Ruturaj Gaikwad to ‘keep fighting’ after ODI SNUB vs New Zealand, says…

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa described Gaikwad’s unexpected omission as difficult to accept and also opened up about the constant pressure players face to “survive” in Indian cricket.

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New Delhi: Star India cricketer Ruturaj Gaikwad’s omission from India’s squad for the New Zealand series has raised questions about the BCCI selection committee’s decisions. The Chennai batter had smashed an impressive century in his most recent match against South Africa but was still left out.

His exclusion coincides with Shreyas Iyer’s return to the team after recovering from an injury during the Australia tour, intensifying debates over selection priorities. While Iyer’s participation depends on fitness clearance, the selectors chose not to include Gaikwad even as a backup option.

Uthappa described Gaikwad’s unexpected omission as difficult to accept

Former India batter Robin Uthappa described Gaikwad’s unexpected omission as difficult to accept. He reflected on the constant pressure players face to “survive” in Indian cricket and emphasized the importance of staying resilient, practicing positive self-talk, and focusing on the positives to overcome setbacks and keep moving forward.

“Buddy, it’s very hard to process. You have to make it make sense, right? It takes a toll, and you need to almost kind of find silver linings to kind of lean back on. In these circumstances, it’s not the easiest thing to do. It’s hectic, and you’ve to find a way to see silver linings. One of the challenges with Indian cricket is that you’re constantly operating on survival mode. And to switch from that mindset, it takes immense amount of resilience, immense amount of self-talk and positive self-talk, and you’ve to be able to be a silver linings guy,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

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Gaikwad made his ODI debut in 2022

Gaikwad debuted in ODIs in 2022 but has struggled to find regular opportunities. He scored 228 runs across nine matches at an average of 28.50, which featured a brilliant century and one fifty.

Uthappa highlighted the constant effort needed to succeed in Indian cricket, especially for players from outside the major hubs like Mumbai, Delhi, and Punjab. He underscored the importance of pushing oneself, staying determined, and persevering to secure a spot at the top level.

“And you’ve to find a way to keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting, especially if you don’t come from one of three big states in India, which is Mumbai, Delhi, and Punjab. If you’re not from one of those states, then you’ve to keep pushing yourself, pushing yourself,” he added.