Ruturaj Gaikwad has been left out of India's 15-man T20I squad for the upcoming series against England. The opener, who has a fantastic record in the few opportunities he's had, isn't even on the sidelines right now but rather as far away from the action as possible. Gaikwad is one such batter who has earned fame after relentless hard work in a platform like IPL.

This led him being the right successor of MS Dhoni by being the captain of the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings. It's not just this forthcoming bilateral series; he has been excluded in many crucial International matches. That said, here we look at the probable reasons behind the talk of the matter that perplexed many fans. 

1. Intense race for the coveted top-order batting spots

There is no question that Ruturaj Gaikwad is a superb player, but he is now competing with more than five other players for the opening berth, which Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson currently hold. The latter two don't play T20Is often since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prefers Test cricket to the shorter format. Hence, they've been rested from T20Is to manage their workloads. The names Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and Sanju Samson make it highly competitive for the Maharashtrian batter, as each has a unique skill set that will aid the squad significantly.

Another significant factor is his potential and natural game. One can argue that Gaikwad is the most skilled striker among those named, especially considering that it's the shortest game format. He looks more like an anchor than an aggressor. All of the others can start smashing right away, something Gaikwad has yet to do, where he takes his time to get to his swashbuckling form. Even age is also a consideration, as Sanju Samson is the only one older than him. All the others are younger, and selectors may choose them over him. Ultimately, it's all about the proper set of permutations and combinations made in the think tank of the Indian Cricket team's selection process.

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2. Probable selection bias and internal politics

Stirring up controversies and debates, particularly amongst Indian cricket fanatics, is not a relatively new thing. Ever since the sport's evolution, a particular sect of spectators has become more inclined and invested in the goof-ups and stories than the usual game itself. With several incidents prominently and vividly remembered by many, Ruturaj Gaikwad's long-run exclusion from the international team acts as an addition to the list of such a story. Though his gameplay doesn't match the fast-paced T20I format, leading him to be ignored for the forthcoming bilateral series against England, Gaikwad has encountered such moments for quite a long time.

Be it from not getting selected for the forgettable and recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy or even the home bilateralT20I series against Bangladesh, his name not being present on the 15-man Squad for International games has got everyone perplexed. Many speculate that it's due to internal board politics, with head coach Gautam Gambhir having a bias on player selection towards his former franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, over his arch-rival team, Chennai Super Kings, where Gaikwad comes from. And it's just one of them; other reasons come from where he had a rift with the former T20I captain, Rohit Sharma, which led him to get ignored for a long period. In the end, these speculated theories keep on coming and going. Unless and until any of these have a concrete backing, that is when the eyes would be facing them. 

No matter what the reasons are, as mentioned above, it is no surprise that Ruturaj Gaikwad has been phenomenal with the bat through his recent performances. With his noteworthy mentions coming from the IPL, Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gaikwad has got all the boxes ticked to get a callback to don the Indian jersey.

Though some of the aspects do have their own viability and sense, it's all about time that will tell the competent batter's future in the International circuit. Also, the whole Indian cricket fandom would suffice with the things that are beneficial for the team and its prospects, with Ruturaj Gaikwad being one of the probable central pillars towards their path, as many yearn for him not to be another missed out competent opportunity.