Ruturaj Gaikwad, promising Chennai Super Kings batsman recalled how he overcame his early struggles in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 where he scored just 5 runs in the first three games.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had a forgettable campaign in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, but by the end of the tournament, after finishing 7th in the points table, they had found a new star in young Ruturaj Gaikwad who produced a commendable fightback after initially struggling in the first three matches.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: CSK Have Calm And Cool Minded People Around Which Helped To Focus On Process
Having performed well in India’s domestic cricket, where he averages around 38 in 1st class and 49 in List A, 23-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad was expected to have a good outing for CSK but things did not go as per expected plan in the first three matches where he managed to score just 5 runs which included two ducks leading to his axe.
However, as MS Dhoni-led CSK batsmen failed to perform up to expectations and they were the first team to be eliminated, the skipper recalled Ruturaj Gaikwad in the playing XI – a move which paid rich dividends for the three-time IPL winners as he rediscovered his form.
It was an excellent turnaround by Ruturaj Gaikwad who repaid the team management’s faith as CSK also went on to win all the three matches where he scored half-centuries. In a Q&A session on Instagram, he was asked how did he manage to overcome his early failure in UAE.
“A lot matters on team atmosphere and how all the members in the team react to your failures…And I think CSK is one of the best in that and having everyone calm and cool minded around helped me focus more on my process..!” Gaikwad wrote in response to a query on Instagram.
Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed a hat-trick of half-centuries in the last three games to amass 204 runs averaging 51 in 6 games after scoring 5 runs in first 3 outings. He scored unbeaten 65, 72 and unbeaten 62 as CSK won the last 3 games but finished 7th.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Was Motivated By MS Dhoni Who Said CSK Will Not Pressurize But Have Expectations From The Opener
In an interview with Sportstar, Ruturaj Gaikwad had revealed how a chat with skipper MS Dhoni also helped him regain his focus and motivated him.
“Dhoni walked up to me and asked me if I was under pressure. He said, ‘We don’t want to pressurize you, but we have expectations from you. All I want to tell you is you are going to play the next three games without any doubt, whether you score a run or not. Try and enjoy these games and not think about performance,” Gaikwad recalled.
CSK skipper MS Dhoni had also heaped rich praise on Ruturaj Gaikwad saying it was difficult to gauge the talent of the batsman as he didn’t speak much.
“He’s one of the most talented players around. What makes it difficult is he’s not somebody who speaks a lot. So sometimes it becomes difficult for the management to gauge a player. Once he started going in the innings, you could see that he was hitting the ball the way he wants.
“When we made him play the first game, he got out after stepping out. It was difficult to tell whether it was pressure that made him step out or whether that’s his natural game. One ball isn’t enough,” Dhoni said.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was also one of the two CSK players who tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of the tournament. Deepak Chahar was the other player but both recovered and played their part in IPL 2020.