With Team India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand announced on January 03 (Saturday), Shreyas Iyer makes his comeback after an injury in Australia.
Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad failed to secure a spot in the squad despite impressing with his maiden ODI ton against South Africa.
Had the selectors made a wise decision by choosing Shreyas over Ruturaj as India’s reliable batter at the No.4 spot in ODIs? Let’s have a brief analysis.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: Not Enough Stats to Prove His Worth
Having batted at No.4, Ruturaj Gaikwad proved his adaptability under pressure. His impressive records in the domestic circuit as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL) are purely defined by his abilities as an opening batter.
The South African series was the first instance where the right-handed batter demonstrated his prowess batting at the fourth position after 87 innings in List-A cricket.
The 28-year-old scored a fifty and a century when batting at No. 4 for Maharashtra in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26.
Although Ruturaj’s stats as a middle-order batter are improving, the proven performers like Shreyas Iyer continue to get preference as a specialist middle-order batter.
Shreyas Iyer: The Man Who Cannot Be Easily Replaced
Over the past few years, India’s middle order woes continued until the arrival of Shreyas Iyer. In 43 innings, Iyer scored 1,893 runs at the No.4 position, averaging 51.16 (including 4 centuries and 13 half-centuries).
Interestingly, he was the second middle-order batter after Daryll Mitchell at the international level to amass 500+ runs in a single edition of the World Cup (in 2023).
Since the 2011 World Cup, none of the batters at No.4 have averaged above 50, except Virat Kohli (54.95) and Shreyas Iyer (51.16).
Analyzing the previous records, other renowned batters like Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Manoj Tiwary, and Hardik Pandya featured at No.4.
However, Iyer, after the 2019 World Cup, solved India’s dilemma of long-term stability with his consistent performances.
Final Opinion
Ruturaj deserves a long-term opportunity in India’s main XI. But Shreyas Iyer’s experience, consistency, and proven abilities at the international level make the selectors’ decision a logical one.
For Ruturaj, he may need to wait a few more years to secure his spot in a strong and well-settled ODI squad of the Indian cricket team.
