Indian opener Ruturaj Gaikwad revealed that he could rely on his leadership skills, in leading the Indian team in the Asian Games 2032 in China. The 26-year-old has worked with legendary Indian skipper MS Dhoni in the IPL for the last four years, which would eventually help him to lead the side in the mega event.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has experience captaining Maharashtra in domestic cricket as well as leading the Pune franchise in the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) of 2023. He has been mentored by legendary captain Dhoni and established himself in the think tank at mighty CSK.
Gaikwad played vital roles in two IPL trophy-winning campaigns and was a part of the leadership group which he would look to utilise in the continental event.
Ahead of India’s opening game in the Asian Games, Ruturaj Gaikwad aims to bring a fresh style of captaincy to the Indian cricket team. He revealed that he has learned a lot about handling players and dealing with different situations from the legendary MS Dhoni over the last few years.
Besides, Gaikwad encourages players to express themselves and give their best performance in the upcoming continental event. He aims to win the gold medal for India by beating top teams such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
“I got to learn a lot of things from him (Dhoni) but every person has a different style. His style is different, his personality is different and my personality is a bit different,” Gaikwad said.
“I will try to be myself and not really look at what he usually does. Obviously, yes you have to pick out some things that he does really well, how he handles situations and how he handles particular players during a match.
Obviously, these are (a) few things I really took from him, but I would like to lead the way I want to. I just want the players to express themselves and give how much ever freedom that I can. Coming to the Asian Games, everyone is eager to win the gold for the country and stand up on the podium,” Ruturaj Gaikwad added.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will serve as the team captain for India in the Asian Games in 2023, has been contributing effectively for the Men in Blue when given the chance at the highest level.
Many experts believe that the Indian opener has the potential to captain the Indian squad in the future. He is an essential component of the CSK setup in the IPL and had a significant influence on the team’s championship victories in the 2021 and 2023 seasons.