Ranji Trophy 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad continues his scintillating form in domestic cricket proving his mettle time and again. The Maharashtra captain reached an important milestone by scoring his seventh century in First-Class cricket during their match against Mumbai. The match took place at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in BKC, Mumbai, and Gaikwad’s century came on Day 3, after his team suffered an early loss in their second innings.
Maharashtra had a tough start in the match, getting bowled out for just 126 runs in their first innings. Mumbai capitalized on this, scoring an imposing 441 runs, thanks to standout performances from Ayush Mhatre and Shreyas Iyer, who scored 176 and 142 runs respectively. This left Maharashtra in a difficult position, facing a huge trail to follow.
Ruturaj Gaikwad Completes 7th First-Class Century with 145-run Innings in Ranji Trophy 2024
In their second innings, Maharashtra lost opener Siddhesh Veer early, adding pressure on the team. However, Gaikwad, leading as the captain, rose to the occasion scoring 145 runs in 171 balls. He started his innings with intent, hitting a six off the very first ball he faced from Shardul Thakur. His aggressive approach paid off as he steadily built his innings, reaching a century and helping stabilize Maharashtra’s position.
At 27 years old, Ruturaj Gaikwad has already built an impressive record in First-Class cricket. He has played 35 First-Class matches, scoring over 2,400 runs at an average of 43. His seven centuries and 14 half-centuries highlight his consistency as a top-order batsman. Despite having played six ODIs and 23 T20Is for India, Gaikwad is yet to make his debut in Test cricket.
After dominating the Duleep Trophy, this strong performance in the Ranji Trophy keeps Gaikwad in the spotlight as a potential candidate for the Indian Test team, particularly with the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November. With reports suggesting that Indian captain Rohit Sharma might miss the first Test in Perth, starting on November 22, Gaikwad could be considered as a backup opener. His solid form in domestic cricket strengthens his chances of being included in the playing XI for this high-profile series against Australia.
Gaikwad’s ability to lead his team under pressure and his consistent batting performances make him a promising candidate for India’s Test squad in the near future.
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