"Definitely a lobby behind all these decisions" - Netizens react as India pick Shubman Gill over Ruturaj Gaikwad for 1st ODI vs West Indies
India and West Indies will battle it out in their ODI series opener on Friday (July 22) at the Queen's Park Oval. Shubman Gill is set to open the innings alongside stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan in the much-awaited fixture.
West Indies have won the toss and elected to field first in the 1st ODI. With Rohit Sharma rested for 50-over matches, the likes of Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan are eyeing the opener's spot in the rubber.
The Indian team management has gone with Gill over Gaikwad for the role in the opening encounter. However, a number of fans were unhappy with the decision and took to social media to express their displeasure over the selection.
Here are some of the reactions:
The reason Shubman Gill is picked ahead of Ruturaj Gaikwad is that the latter scored 4 centuries in VHT and former scored 0
Just BCCI's logics ๐คท
Ruturaj>>>> Gill
,gill came as out of syllabus 
@mufaddal_vohra People were expecting ruturaj or ishan ๐,gill came as out of syllabus ๐
Why Take Him In Squad.... Ruturaj... @BCCI Please Give Him Chance To Gaikwad
Just bad time for Ruturaj I think .
Got covid before home series against WI and missed out on debut in ODI's .
Now Gill gets to play ahead of him and most likely he will seal the spot
Anyways , we move. Win the cup for next year @Ruutu1331 . Intl cricket is dying anyways โ. twitter.com/BCCI/status/15โฆ
Ok so Ruturaj Gaikwad is completely Out of their scheme now ๐Even though he has much better record than Gill, doesn't get the chance...In the format which suited him the most ! Also this Siraj & Thakur playing but No Arshdeep here too ๐
Happy for Samson tho, do well ๐คโค๏ธ
Why not Rutu , he had done exceptionally well in the domestic circuit ๐คท๐ผโโ๏ธ #IndvsWI #RuturajGaikwad
How they are playing gill instead of ruturaj.since 1 year he was going every tour but didn't selected.But gill selected after 2 years and he straight way he selected.what's the problem with rutu for them
@CricCrazyJohns Can't believe Gill over Ruturaj in one day .
Poor very poor
And now for sure Gill will play good and totally finish Ruturaj place in the team
Anyways, I really like Gill as well eventhough I think Ruturaj should've started ahead of him! Hope he smashes it!
@BCCI Shocking to miss Ruturaj name in Playing XI. S.Gill already in test team member, Ruturaj was in bench last few series, surprisingly picking Gill in ODI series & got chance to play in Frist match. Kudos to BCCI @DravidFC
@CricCrazyJohns Fans: Ruturaj or Ishan
Dhawan: Gill
@BCCI No #RuturajGaikwad !! There is definitely a lobby behind all these decisions. A player who struck 4 consecutive 100 in 5 matches doesn't feature in playing 11 but an average player who has the support of idiotic coach get the chance. Hypocrisy at par.thanks sanju is playing
India is not playing Ruturaj in perhaps what is the best format for him and will end up dropping him for his T20I form.
We never learn smh...
#RuturajGaikwad not in today's playing 11 ๐ ๐ ๐
U can't judge him in 4-5matches
.
.
#WIvsIND
@BCCI Shubman gill over rated player
BCCI believe gill-100%
Gill performance -0%
Shubman Gill made his ODI debut in January of 2019 against New Zealand. The right-hander has featured in three matches so far in the format and has 49 runs to his name. Ruturaj Gaikwad, on the other hand, is yet to make his debut in ODI cricket.
Notably, Gill is making a comeback to the ODI team with the West Indies series. His last appearance was against Australia in December of 2020, in which he managed 33 runs off 39 deliveries.
Gaikwad was last seen in action during the Men in Blue's five-match home T20I series at home earlier this year. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter mustered 96 runs from four innings at a strike rate of 131.50.
India vs West Indies 1st ODI playing XIs
India: Shikhar Dhawan(c), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson(w), Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna.
West Indies: Shai Hope(w), Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran(c), Rovman Powell, Akeal Hosein, Romario Shepherd, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales.