Just a few months ago, Ruturaj Gaikwad received a pleasant surprise after being asked to lead Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He had massive shoes to fill, replacing none other than MS Dhoni at the helm. Now, in the ongoing series against Zimbabwe, Ruturaj is staking his claim to snap up the No.3 spot that has been left vacant following the T20I retirement of Virat Kohli, who championed that position for the better part of his career.
In the second T20I against Zimbabwe, Gaikwad made a significant contribution to India’s win, solidifying his place at No.3 for the rest of the series. “Wherever the team sends me, I’m happy to bat there,” Ruturaj commented on his batting role ahead of the third T20I. “There isn’t much of a difference between opening the batting or playing at Number 3. You still have to deal with the new ball. Not much of a difference.”
Discussing the challenge of stepping into Kohli’s role, he admitted that it’s a substantial topic not to be taken lightly. “It’s a really big topic; it’s not the right point to think about it,” he said. “To compare to him or to fill in his shoes is really tough. As I had said in the IPL as well, it’s difficult to fill Mahi bhai’s shoes too. You want to start your own career, you want to play your own game. That’s the priority right now. Focus on one game, focus on making your team win—for whichever side you play—and make sure you’re on the winning side more often than not.”
Ruturaj also admitted that batting conditions in Zimbabwe are slightly trickier. India experienced a reality check in the first T20I, which they lost. “It’s definitely challenging,” he acknowledged. “It’s slightly unique. If you have a seam movement coming at you at one pace, you can still negotiate it. But here, it’s slightly double-paced, and the bounce is also slightly variable. That’s causing a bit of a difference. When the ball is new, it’s slightly tougher to score.
. But once the ball becomes old, with a fast outfield and relatively small straight boundaries, you can convert your runs after that.”
When asked if captaining in the IPL has brought about any changes in his thought process, Ruturaj claimed that it hadn’t impacted his batting style. “To be honest, not much has changed,” he noted. “My batting has always been the same—take responsibility and try to finish the game. It’s just that the way you look at the game, you are more involved when you are used to captaining an IPL team. You tend to stay more engaged in the game for a longer period than when you’re standing at the boundary and just focusing on one ball at a time. But batting-wise, not much of a difference.”
To fans and analysts, Ruturaj’s rise is being seen as timely and crucial for India. With the transition phase underway for the Indian cricket team and significant changes taking place, having a reliable No.3 batsman is of utmost importance. Kohli’s shoes are, indeed, colossal to fill, but Gaikwad seems to have the right mindset and the talent to gradually make that place his own. His balanced approach and humility off the pitch are seen as stabilizing factors for a team in flux.
As one delves deeper into his journey, it becomes clear that Ruturaj is not new to challenges. His formative years were spent honing his craft, driven by the vision to succeed at the highest level. His mentors often describe him as a player with a penchant for learning and evolving. The Flint-esque flexibility he brings is echoed in his recent statements. He is open to batting anywhere for the team’s success, displaying an unyielding team-first attitude essential for young leaders.
Fans eagerly anticipate whether Ruturaj can sustain his form for the final T20I and future series. Will he maintain his composure under pressure, or will the burdensome comparisons with the greats weigh him down? Only time will reveal. But as of now, he is relishing the opportunity and taking it as an essential step in his career progression.
Regardless of the sport, transitions from legends like Dhoni and Kohli to emerging stars like Gaikwad are natural cycles. Yet, they bring a mix of optimism and skepticism among supporters and pundits. The grooming phase involves patience and support from the cricketing fraternity and no better occasion than India’s ongoing series against Zimbabwe to witness what Ruturaj Gaikwad is truly capable of.
Ultimately, whether filling in mammoth shoes or carving his own niche, Gaikwad’s journey in Indian cricket is one that has just begun and is likely to be followed with great interest by fans and analysts alike.