India, Jan. 7 -- Ruturaj Gaikwad's exclusion from India's squad for the New Zealand series has sparked questions over the BCCI selection committee's choices. The Chennai batter had scored a century in his most recent outing against South Africa but was still left out. His omission coincides with the return of Shreyas Iyer, who rejoins the team after recovering from an injury sustained during the Australia tour, adding fuel to the debate over selection priorities. Meanwhile, Iyer's availability is subject to his fitness clearance, and despite this uncertainty, the selectors opted against naming Gaikwad as a backup option.

Former India batter Robin Uthappa spoke about Gaikwad's surprising exclusion, calling it tough to process. He noted th...