The growing admiration for Chennai Super Kings’ Ruturaj Gaikwad is unmatched. The young Indian Cricketer and CSK captain is certainly considered a future national leader and current prodigy. Rising under the wings of none other than MS Dhoni himself, Gaikwad has time and again proved himself in the domestic circuit as well as in the limited opportunities he has got for the national team.
Making his debut in IPL 2020, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s journey with Chennai Super Kings has been remarkable. Over the past few years, he has emerged as a key player, known for his consistency and powerful performances.
Gaikwad has become a dependable top-order batter, capable of starting slowly to build an innings and finishing with explosive power. His presence at the crease keeps the opposition on edge, knowing he can turn the game around. Despite a challenging season as CSK captain, the franchise sees a bright future with him in hindsight, recognizing his growing stature and potential to lead the team forward.
Despite gaining national popularity, Gaikwad keeps his legs grounded, unlike his contemporary Indian Cricketers. One can constantly find the 28-year-old representing and proving his mettle for his home side Maharashtra in the BCCI domestic circuit. Despite the growing trend of T20 cricket, Gaikwad is seen playing Ranji Trophy as well as other domestic tournaments.
Is Ruturaj Gaikwad Playing in Duleep Trophy 2024-25?
Yes, Ruturaj Gaikwad is participating in the Duleep Trophy 2024-25. He can be seen opening for the India C side in this tournament, of which he is also named as the captain.
Red ball tournaments like Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, Duleep Trophy, and Buchi Babu are the perfect platforms for any talented uncapped Indian cricketer to make his way into the national red ball team. Given the growing transparency in selection processes, we can notice young talents like Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel make their way into the national team after proving their competence in such domestic tournaments.
Due to the growing stature of the white ball and short-format cricket with the emergency of the Indian Premier League, it is quite visible that current players neglect to play in such tournaments due to how tiresome and challenging they are. Yet, some players who don’t want to leave any opportunity untouched use them as a platform to highlight their skills in the eyes of national selectors.
Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is one such player. Gaikwad was recently named the Ranji Trophy Captain for the upcoming domestic season 2024-25 by the Maharashtra Cricket Association. On top of that, Gaikwad is rewarded with captaincy of India C in the ongoing Duleep Trophy 2024-25.
The 2024-25 senior men’s Indian domestic cricket season began on Thursday with the Duleep Trophy, a crucial event in the preparation for India’s home Test series and the upcoming tour to Australia. The tournament serves as a platform for top players to showcase their skills ahead of these important international fixtures.
Ruturaj Gaikwad in Duleep Trophy 2024-25
In their maiden match of the season, Ruturaj Gaikwad led India C to a thrilling 4-wicket victory over India D in the 2024 Duleep Trophy. Gaikwad’s leadership and his crucial knock of 46 from 48 balls were instrumental in the chase on a challenging Anantapur pitch.
Despite early dismissals, Gaikwad’s intent and strategy ensured India C remained competitive. His partnership with Rajat Patidar set the foundation, and even as wickets fell, Gaikwad’s influence on the game was evident. His captaincy, combined with a solid batting performance, played a key role in securing the win on Day 3.
In the 4th match of the tournament, India C put up a strong performance against India B, scoring 525 in their first innings, with Ruturaj Gaikwad contributing 58. Notably, Gaikwad was forced to retire hurt on the very second ball of his innings. Gaikwad had started with a boundary on his first ball but was hit on the hand by a delivery from Mukesh Kumar on Day 1 of the match in Anantapur, leaving him in visible pain. Despite the injury, the India C captain came to bat later in the match and scored a valuable half-century. India B, in response, were bowled out for 332.
Moreover, in the second innings, Gaikwad continued his consistency, scoring 62, helping India C declare at 128/4. While the match was declared drawn with both the teams sharing a point, Gaikwad’s leadership and steady batting were been key for India C throughout the match.
Win in the first and a draw in the next helped Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India C secure a place in the Duleep Trophy 2024 final against Mayank Agarwal-led India A.
Coming into the final with immense confidence, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India C lost a hard-fought battle against India A in the 2024 Duleep Trophy final by 132 runs. India A posted 297 in the first innings, thanks to Shashwat Rawat’s 124, while India C replied with 234 and declared their second innings at 286/8, setting a challenging target.
Despite Sai Sudharsan’s brilliant 111, India C was bowled out for 217. Prasidh Krishna’s three late wickets, including Sudharsan, sealed the win for India A with just 4.1 overs remaining. Aaqib Khan and Tanush Kotian also played key roles in India A’s title triumph.
Inspite of the loss in the final, Gaikwad was appreciated for his captaincy and consistent performance, scoring a total of 232 runs from 6 innings, at an average of 38.65. Consequently, the 27-year-old has been recently chosen as the Rest of India captain for the upcoming Irani Trophy 2024, to be played against Mumbai.
Despite his continuous performances, Ruturaj Gaikwad has yet to impress the national selectors to earn a permanent spot in the national squad. Hence, he will look to prove his worth in the going Duleep Trophy to make his way into the white-collar brigade ahead of the Australia series.
Also read: “Masterstroke”: Fans Go Berserk Over MS Dhoni’s Cameo in GOAT Movie
FAQs
Ruturaj Gaikwad plays for which team in Duleep Trophy?
The CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was the captain of the India C team in the Duleep Trophy 2024, which came inches closer to winning the trophy.
How many runs Ruturaj Gaikwad scored in Duleep Trophy 2024?
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad lead from the front in every game, by ensuring that he provided his team with the best start that he probably could. As a result, despite suffering from an injury he ended the tournament as the fourth highest run scorer. Gaikwad scored 232 runs from 6 innings, at an average of 38.65.
