Woe for Punekars as local boy Ruturaj Gaikwad misses out

Gunjwal said it was surprising that Ruturaj Gaikwad was not part of the team. ”Ruturaj has been a consistent performer in IPL and international matches. I find it surprising and strange that he does not make it either to one dayers or T20s…It always happens with Maharashtra players. Despite their good performances, they do not get picked.”

Citing the case of Santosh Jedhe, Gunjal said, ”He (Jedhe) was an exceptional cricketer, both with ball and bat and even his fielding was top class. In the 1992-93 Ranji season, he had taken 36 wickets and scored 700 runs. Yet he was not selected for the Sri Lankan team. Similarly, it has happened with consistent performers like Surendra Bhave or Shantanu Sugwekar.”

Gunjal, who captained the Maharashtra Ranji team from 1985 to 1990, said there are several cases where Maharashtra players have been snubbed despite their outstanding display at domestic levels.

Raju Kotwal, who had coached Ruturaj when played for Varroc Academy run by former India captain Dilip Vengsakar in Pimpri-Chinchwad said,”It seems like Maharashtra players need someone in the selection committee so that they can make it to the Indian team. Ruturaj is a player who fits into all three formats of the game. He has the temperament, class and style to players T-20, one dayers and Test cricket. But it is amazing that the selectors do not consider him fit in any format.”