Ruturaj Gaikwad in New Zealand ODIs, Shreyas Iyer to Return for IPL 2026: Reports
With Shreyas Iyer out of the series due to injury, India gave Ruturaj Gaikwad the No. 4 spot. After failing in the first game, where India scored 349, he made the most of his chance in the next match in Raipur, scoring a brilliant century against South Africa in just 77 balls.
Ruturaj Gaikwad to Strengthen India’s Batting, Shreyas Iyer Set for IPL 2026 Return
He had a slow start, struggling with short balls at first, but he stayed calm and made it count. Iyer had been the regular No. 4, scoring 1,430 runs in 31 innings at an average of 55, with three centuries and nine fifties in ODIs since 2022. Gaikwad, playing only his seventh ODI innings, is not yet a regular for that position but has added depth to the team.
With nearly 57 as his List A average and 17 centuries, he always had the talent to succeed in this format. He just needed a chance to play for India. Since Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill open, Gaikwad’s chance at the top was limited, despite his good performances in domestic cricket. Shreyas Iyer’s injury gave him this opportunity.
Ruturaj Gaikwad will play in the ODI series against New Zealand in January. He will bat at No. 4 and get a chance to show his skills for India. Shreyas Iyer will miss the New Zealand ODI series because of injury. He will be fit and ready to play in IPL 2026.
Ruturaj Gaikwad ODI Stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs | 8 | 8 | 228 | 105 | 28.50 | 89.76 | 1 | 1 |
