“He deserves a long run” - Ravi Ashwin backs Ruturaj Gaikwad for No. 4 role in ODIs

Former Team India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Ruturaj Gaikwad can be an option for the No. 4 role in ODIs in the current Indian setup. Ruturaj notched up his maiden ODI ton in the second match of the ongoing home series against South Africa. His 105-run knock off 83 balls sent a clear message to the selectors and fans that he is ready for the big stage and cannot be ignored going forward.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said that even though Ruturaj is an opening batter, he can still be tried at No. 4 because of his ability to play both seamers and spinners well.

“Yes, Ruturaj is an opening batter. Some people argue he shouldn’t bat at No. 4. But there are possibilities for Ruturaj at No. 4 in ODIs. He handles seamers well. He has a slight weakness against the moving ball, and he won’t need to face that much if he’s batting at No. 4,” he said. “He's a terrific player of spin and runs hard between the wickets. He has all the shots in the book. There is nothing more he needs to prove to bat at No. 4."

“He deserves a long run” - Ashwin on Ruturaj

For India, Shreyas Iyer has been a top performer at that spot for the last few years. But in this series, he is unavailable as he is still recovering from a severe spleen laceration, sustained during the ODI series against Australia. Ashwin added that Ruturaj should get a long run even when Iyer returns, but how that can be done is something the team management will have to figure out.

“Tomorrow, even if Shreyas Iyer returns, you can still accommodate Ruturaj Gaikwad. I don’t know exactly how, but I’ve thought of many innovative ideas. Do you push Ruturaj up the order? I’m not sure. For a player of such pedigree, he deserves a long run. He has made up for Shreyas Iyer’s absence in double gear,” Ashwin concluded.

Ruturaj will be in action again on December 6 in Vizag in the series decider. The series stands at 1-1 after South Africa pulled off a historic chase in the last match in Raipur.

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