Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has a return date. However, it is not something that will actually make the Whistle Podu Army really happy.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, announced India ‘A’ squad for the upcoming England Tour. And surprisingly enough, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a part of this team, that is set to leave for England soon.
Notably, the team will feature in two four-day matches against England Lions, starting on May 30 in Canterbury. This tour is set to end the wait for the fans who have been waiting to see their CSK captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, back on the field for India ‘A’.
The 18-member squad features star India players like Shubman Gill, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, and many more. Talented batters Sai Sudharshan and Karun Nair are set to make a return for the Men in Baggy Blues after an astonishing IPL 2025.
Ruturaj Gaikwad returns to Indian team
Chennai Super Kings’ captain Gaikwad is set to step back on the field after a long-standing injury, which ruled him out of the IPL 2025. CSK fans will be awaiting to see some remarkable performances by their leader to forget the dreadful IPL season.
Gaikwad has already made an impact in the white ball format for the national team. The player has featured in 23 T20Is in which he has scored 633 runs at an average of 39 and average of 143. With four fifties and one gigantic century of 123 runs to his name, the player has certainly performed well in the shortest format.
Despite a good performance in this format, CSK skipper has been overlooked for nearly a year now. The last game he played for the Indian team came in the July month of the year 2024. Hence, the Ruturaj Gaikwad return to Indian team is news to rejoice for his fans.
Apart from Gaikwad, pacer Anshul Kamboj also made an entry to the team. Notably, the Haryana-born pacer has had a decent time in his maiden IPL season for CSK. His performances have not been able to secure the team a win. Nonetheless, Kamboj has definitely drawn some eyes with his sharp bowling and wicket-taking abilities.
When will Ruturaj Gaikwad return to IPL?
While it is a good news that Gaikwad is returning to the national side. That too in the longest format of the game. It is sad to confirm that his current IPL season is all but over.
Although Chennai Super Kings have 2 games to play in the ongoing IPL season, Ruturaj Gaikwad won’t be back for his team. His name being announced in the India A squad means he will join them directly.
In the IPL 2025, Gaikwad featured in 5 games for his side and managed to score 123 runs at them, averaging at 24 and playing with a strike rate of 150.
Although the team lost 4 out of those five games, Gaikwad was instrumental in the batting department. As long as he was on the crease there was a certain belief that the team can pull though. It was after his departure that the batting completely crumbled for Chennai Super Kings.
Hence, hopefully, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return to IPL next season will also bring a new and fresh set of results for the team.
India ‘A’ Squad for England Tour
Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (vc) (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey.
Note: Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the squad ahead of the second match.
Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead the India A squad when it tours England to take on the Lions. The matches will commence on Friday, May 30 will go on until Monday, June 16.
India A vs England Lions Fixtures
| Day and date (from) | Day and date (to) | Start time (in IST) | Match | Venue |
| Friday, May 30 | Monday, June 2 | 14:30 | 1st First Class | Canterbury |
| Friday, June 6 | Monday, June 9 | 14:30 | 2nd First Class | Northampton |
| Friday, June 13 | Monday, June 16 | 14:30 | Intra-squad | Beckenham |
Also read: MS Dhoni Breaks Suresh Raina’s IPL Record in Chepauk Stadium
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