Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad was born on 31st January 1997 in the Pune District of Maharashtra, a state in Western India. His father Dashrath Gaikwad was an employee of the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) and his mother Sawita was a teacher by profession. Despite being academic, Ruturaj insists that they never forced him to pursue education over his passion for cricket. The naturally gifted opener started playing cricket at an early age and was soon outperforming his peers at the club level.

Personal details 

Teams 

• India
• Chennai Super Kings
• India A
• India B
• India Blue
• India Emerging Team
• India Under-23s
• Indian Board President’s XI
• Maharashtra
• Maharashtra Under-16s
• Maharashtra Under-19s
• Maharashtra Under-22s

About Ruturaj Gaikwad 

Gaikwad made his first-class debut for Maharashtra in the 2016-2017 Ranji Trophy season. He has since been a consistent performer for his state team, showcasing his batting skills in the longer format of the game.

However, Gaikwad gained wider recognition when he was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise in the IPL. He made his IPL debut for CSK in 2019 and has since been a part of their squad. Gaikwad has shown promise as an opening batsman in the IPL, displaying a good mix of technique and aggression.

Known for his elegant stroke play and ability to anchor an innings, Ruturaj Gaikwad is considered one of the emerging talents in Indian cricket. His performances in domestic cricket and the IPL have earned him attention as a potential future star for the Indian national team.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Career Highlights 

• He made his international debut for the India cricket team in July 2021 against Sri Lanka.
• Gaikwad was the Captain of the India squad which won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games.
• Playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Gaikwad was the leading run-scorer in the 2021 IPL season.
• He was also awarded the Emerging Player of the Year award

Ruturaj Gaikwad Awards 

Career 

Domestic career 

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s domestic cricket journey began in Maharashtra in 2016, where he swiftly made his mark with his elegant batting style. Excelling across formats like Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Gaikwad emerged as a dependable run-scorer. Renowned for his ability to anchor innings and play match-winning knocks, he became a pivotal figure for Maharashtra. His consistent performances paved the way for a stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, showcasing his potential as a future prospect in Indian cricket.

IPL Career 

Ruturaj Gaikwad made his IPL debut for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2019, but it was in the 2020 season that he truly made his mark with impressive performances, including back-to-back half-centuries. He continued his consistent batting displays in the 2021 season, solidifying his position as a key player for CSK. Known for his elegant stroke play and ability to anchor innings, Gaikwad has emerged as a promising talent in Indian cricket, and his contributions for CSK have earned him recognition as a valuable asset for the franchise.

International career 

In June 2021, Gaikwad earned selection in India’s ODI and T20I squads for their matches against Sri Lanka. He marked his T20I debut on 28 July 2021, playing against Sri Lanka. Later, in December 2021, Gaikwad was included in India’s ODI squad for the series versus South Africa. His consistent performance led to another call-up in January 2022, for India’s ODI series against the West Indies. Notably, in June 2022, Gaikwad achieved a significant milestone by scoring his first T20I half-century against South Africa.

ODI Career 

In July 2022, Gaikwad was named in India’s ODI squad for their series against the West Indies. He made his ODI debut against South Africa in October 2022. In June 2023, Gaikwad made it to India’s Test and ODI squads against the West Indies. He was also India’s vice-captain for the series against Ireland in July 2023, emerging as the leading run-scorer. In September 2023, Gaikwad scored his maiden ODI half-century against Australia. Additionally, he captained India to a gold medal victory in the T20I tournament at the 2022 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian captain in men’s cricket to achieve this feat on debut, after MS Dhoni.

T20 International Career 

In November 2023, Gaikwad was appointed as the vice-captain for the initial three matches of the T20I series versus Australia. Despite a mix-up resulting in a rare diamond duck in the first match, he bounced back with impressive performances. Gaikwad scored 58 runs off 43 deliveries in the second T20I and achieved a milestone by notching his maiden international century, scoring 123 runs off just 57 balls in the third T20I. This century made him the ninth Indian batsman to achieve a T20I century and marked the second-highest score by an Indian in the format. Additionally, Gaikwad became the first Indian to hit a century against Australia in T20Is, recording the highest individual score against Australia in the format.

Family 

Ruturaj’s mother is Savita Gaikwad, and his father is Dashrath Gaikwad. His mother is a teacher, and his father works as a Defense Research Development Officer. Gaikwad married his long-time girlfriend Utkarsha Pawar in a small ceremony at Mahabaleshwar on June 5 2023.