Ruturaj Gaikwad’s prolific run in 50-over cricket reached a peak on Thursday as he smashed an unbeaten 134 off 131 balls during Maharashtra’s final Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Goa. Walking in at number five with his side reeling at a disastrous 2/3, which soon worsened to 52/6, Gaikwad took on a lone rescue mission to lift Maharashtra to a competitive 249/7.
This innings marked his 15th Vijay Hazare century, equalling the all-time tournament record held by teammate Ankeet Bawane. Despite Maharashtra being out of knockout contention, Gaikwad’s ability to navigate a collapse showcased a level of maturity that has become his trademark in domestic circuits.
Beyond the domestic milestone, Gaikwad’s latest knock secured him a staggering world record. His List A batting average has now soared to 58.83, the highest in the history of the format for any player with at least 50 innings. In doing so, he surpassed Australian legend Michael Bevan, whose career average of 57.86 had stood as the global benchmark for two decades.
Furthermore, Gaikwad reached his 20th List A century in just 95 innings, making him the fastest player to reach the landmark. These numbers paint a picture of a player who has effectively mastered the one-day format, yet his path to the national side remains blocked.
The timing of this is particularly poignant, coming just days after Gaikwad was overlooked for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand. Despite scoring a maiden ODI century against South Africa in December, Gaikwad was squeezed out of the 15-member squad to accommodate the return of vice-captain Shreyas Iyer.
India spinner R Ashwin was among the most vocal critics of the move, questioning the logic of picking a second wicketkeeper over a specialist batter. "At four or five, I am sticking my neck out, his batting against spin and ability to run between wickets and close out an innings is phenomenal," Ashwin noted, adding that the dilemma now lies in who tracks the "mindset" of a player performing at this level only to be sidelined.
Adding a deeper layer to this, former India batter Robin Uthappa spoke of the psychological toll of such exclusions, describing the Indian setup as a constant "survival mode." Uthappa noted that the struggle is amplified for players who do not hail from the traditional power centers of Indian cricket.
"You’ve to find a way to keep fighting, especially if you don’t come from one of three big states in India, which is Mumbai, Delhi, and Punjab," Uthappa remarked on his YouTube channel. He emphasized that for those outside these major hubs, the journey requires an "immense amount of resilience" and a relentless need to push oneself to stay in the conversation.
Gaikwad’s exclusion underscores the brutal competition within the Indian top order, where established names like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli leave little room for extended runs for emerging talents.
To put things into perspective, Rishabh Pant has scored just one century in around 80 innings, in list A cricket, averaging just 34.5. The numbers suggest that Gaikwad has established himself as the most consistent List A batter in the history of the game. Despite this, the boundary of selection seems to constantly evade him.
