Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener, Ruturaj Gaikwad was at his absolute best in the first two games of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 for his side, with 92 and 57 runs in both matches, While CSK head coach, Mike Hussey reckoned Ruturaj can play for India.
In IPL 2023 tournament opener, the 26-year-old slammed 92 runs off just 50 deliveries, with four boundaries and nine sixes with a whopping strike rate of 184, while in the second game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he scored 57 runs in 31 balls. After 8 matches in IPL 16, currently Gaikwad holds ‘Orange Cap’.
Mike Hussey reckons Ruturaj Gaikwad is playing positively in IPL 2023-
“I think it’s just a natural evolution of the game really and the players becoming more confident. They’re practicing playing more aggressive strokes all the time, day in and day out. When I first started playing, if you scored 160, you’d win most matches, but today the par score seem to be going higher and higher.
“And it’s not been a plan to come in and say ‘right, boys, we need to score a lot faster’. We give a lot of ownership to the players to see the situation and play their way. We’re not going to ask Ruturaj to go like Kieron Pollard,” Chennai’s batting coach Mike Hussey said.
While in the 2021 edition, the 26-year-old scored over 600 runs in 16 innings while opening CSK’s successful voyage. In the first game of IPL 2023.
The MS Dhoni-led side at one stage looked going past 200 runs but the runs flow stopped at one stage, where CSK scored only 85 runs in the last 10 overs, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s knock went in vain with him finding no support from the other end, with him scoring 90 runs off just 52 balls, while the rest of the batters just managed 78 off 71.
“Suresh Raina is my inspiration, I want to be a consistent player for CSK like him". – Ruturaj Gaikwad ?#SureshRaina @ImRaina pic.twitter.com/HjcKzzf73k
— Suresh Raina FC™ (@CultRaina) April 4, 2023
“It’s been amazing to watch him develop since he was first here at CSK to where he is. Now he’s such a self-aware player. He has a great understanding of his game and what he wants to improve,”
“He has a beautiful all-round game and he plays good cricket shots, and he is slowly adding more power to his game. He is making it very difficult for bowlers to bowl to him because he can hit even good balls for fours or sixes as well,” he further added.
The 26-year-old has been the star for the Maharashtra side in domestic cricket. He eventually debited for Team India in 2021 after his successful IPL stint, but couldn’t cement his place, Gaikwad has played nine T20I for Men in Blue and has scored 135 runs.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Ruturaj can play at the international level. He’s definitely good enough to be there and I would love to see him get a good run. It’s a very difficult team to get into, there are obviously so many great players in India and sometimes you just have to wait for your opportunity to come.
“This is part of the journey. Some guys get an opportunity young in their careers. Other guys like myself, get an opportunity a lot later in their career,” concluded Hussey.
Earlier, in CSK’s last match, LSG won the toss and asked the MS Dhoni-led side to bat first in their first game at Chennai since the COVID outbreak in 2020. CSK posted the mammoth total of 217 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs, with the help of Ruturaj Gaikwad’s brilliant 57 runs in 31 balls–and later with Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu‘s contribution in the innings.
While in the chase, after the good opening stand, LSG lost wickets in regular intervals and with former Indian skipper tactical captaincy along with Men in Yellow’s cluster of spinners, they managed to clinch victory in the high-scoring thriller match
Now after one win in two matches, CSK will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 8 at Wankhede Stadium.