Ruturaj Gaikwad, an opener for India, stated that he doesn’t mind playing fewer balls during the powerplay since he is more concerned with the team’s score. He stated, “I am a player who looks at the team’s score” . Gaikwad’s mentality stems from his time spent playing for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) under captain MS Dhoni, who also taught him about the tempo of T20 cricket.
“I learned a lot about this format playing for CSK. Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is always keen on reading situations and understanding the game. He sends a message that you have to look for the team score and what the team requires, irrespective of the situation of the game,” said Ruturaj in a conversation with JioCinema.
After winning the fourth Twenty20 International at Rapiur by 20 runs, India has built a commanding 3-1 lead over Australia in the five-match T20I series. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been instrumental in India’s success thus far. In four innings, he has amassed 213 runs at an average of 71.00, with a century and fifty to his credit. Ruturaj explained that India should be thrilled about the series victory in light of the team’s previous November loss to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
“I think it was important for all of us to express ourselves and enjoy the game. And I think everyone pretty much took responsibility at every stage. So, we are really happy with the result, but there is still one match to go,” said Ruturaj. The first speaker stressed that after the World Cup setback, the camp needed to talk fearlessly and aggressively and trust their gut feelings. “There were 2-3 members from the World Cup squad who were with us. There was positive energy in the team because we were coming from domestic tournaments, and everyone had done pretty well there. Everyone came in with a lot of confidence,” said Gaikwad.
After the first match, Gaikwad claimed that he and Yashasvi Jaiswal agreed not to take hazardous singles and instead play for boundaries with a positive intent. This was in reference to their partnership and the miscommunication that resulted in a run-out in the first Twenty20 International. He added that Yashasvi had apologized to him for the confusion. “After the first match, we decided that we would be off from risky singles. We will just look for boundaries. He is someone who takes the game on and regardless of any situation, he likes to be aggressive. The discussion has always been that if the wicket is suitable, we will go with positive intent. But I think the focus is taking care of the first two overs,” said Gaikwad. “After he got out, he was walking in and he immediately said sorry. I said it was okay, it happens and it was a mistake. I think mistakes do happen, so I am fine with that,” he added.
Gaikwad stated that he is unaffected by having fewer balls to play during a powerplay since he prioritizes the team’s score.”So if he plays three overs and scores 25, I am fine with that, as long as the team’s score is not affected,” he added.
Gaikwad stated, “In T20s, you always have to be ahead of the game, and I give a lot of importance to that,” when discussing his preparation for the series. I imagine the possible outcomes of the game and the behavior of the pitch the night before. Even in a T20 encounter, Gaikwad continued, “Mahi bhai always insists that we do not rush our thoughts because there is enough time for an opener.” Today in Bengaluru, there will be the series’ last Twenty20 International.
Ruturaj Gaikwad on playing fewer balls on the powerplay: “It doesn’t affect me; I look at the team’s score.”
