That is where the opening should come

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Ruturaj Gaikwad has rightly not been picked in the Men in Blue’s squad for the ODI series against Afghanistan as Virat Kohli’s replacement. He pointed out that the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain would only be picked if there is an opening in the middle order.

India will face Afghanistan in three ODIs, with the first game to be played in Dharamshala on Saturday, June 13. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been picked as Kohli’s replacement, with the latter being ruled out of the series due to a hamstring injury.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ the former India batter reckoned that Gaikwad wouldn’t have gotten a chance to feature in the playing XI even if he had been picked, highlighting that he is being considered for a middle-order role.

“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.

Ruturaj Gaikwad has aggregated 228 runs at an average of 28.50 in eight ODI innings. He scored 101 runs off 114 balls while batting at No. 4 in India A’s eight-run win against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on Tuesday, June 9.

---

“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

In the same video, Aakash Chopra reckoned that the selectors were right in picking Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad as Virat Kohli’s replacement.

“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 cricketer-turned-commentator added that playing matches for India A would be more beneficial for Gaikwad than sitting on the sidelines for 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.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Vaibhav Suryavanshi has also not been picked in the ODI team and is playing the tri-series for India A. He added that Yashasvi Jaiswal won’t gain much by sitting outside.

Edited by Kartik Iyer