Chetan
Sharma, the chairman of the senior selection committee of the Indian cricket
team, said batter Ruturaj Gaikwad will “do wonders” for India in international
cricket. Gaikwad has been selected in India’s 18-member squad for the
three-match ODI series against South Africa will be played later this
month.  The ODIs will be played after the
Test series where India are currently leading 1-0 with two Tests remaining.

Also Read: SA vs IND: Rohit Sharma ruled out of ODI series, KL Rahul named captain

India will
be led by KL Rahul in the ODIs after India’s newly appointed white-ball captain
Rohit Sharma was deemed unfit. The first ODI will be played on January 19 while
the second and third ODIs will be held on January 21 and 23, respectively. The
first two matches will be played in Paarl while the third ODI will be held in
Cape Town, also the venue for the third Test.

Also Read: India penalised for slow-over rate in Test against South Africa

“Look,
absolutely (he has) got the opportunity at the right time. He was in the T20
team and also now he is in the ODI team, wherever his place can be made,
selectors are thinking he will go and do wonders for the country,” Sharma said
at the team selection press conference.

Ruturaj,
24, hails from Pune. He finished IPL 2021 as the leading run-scorer with 635
runs in 16 T20s and an average of 45.35. He played a significant role in
Chennai Super Kings’ title clinch in IPL 2021.

Also Read: Nobody told Kohli to quit T20 captaincy: India chief selector

Rewarded
for stellar peformance

Chief
selector Chetan Sharma said that Ruturaj was rewarded for his stellar
performance.

“We have
selected him (Ruturaj). Now it is up to the (team) management to see when he
can play in the XI, when he is required and how to go about the combination,
these things we will coordinate.

Also Read: From Gabba Test to Olympic gold: India’s top 10 sporting moments of 2021

“But, at
present, he (Ruturaj) was in the T20 side also against New Zealand and he is in
ODI now. He is doing well and he is rewarded for that,” added Sharma, himself a
former India pacer.

After
shining in IPL, the opening batter put up a brilliant show in the Vijay Hazare
Trophy and was the leading scorer there, too, aggregating 603 runs from five
matches with 168 as his highest score.

Also Read: David Warner reveals his wishes before retiring from Test cricket

He made his
T20I debut for India against Sri Lanka last July at Colombo.