Ruturaj Gaikwad ready to play for India based on domestic cricket and IPL: Dilip Vengsarkar
Vengsarkar has seen Ruturaj Gaikwad grow as a cricketer in his academy in Pune
The former Indian batsman Dilip Vengsarkar reckons if the Indian selectors are convinced about the ability of Ruturaj Gaikwad, they shouldn’t waste any time in picking him in the Indian national squad straightaway.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has already made his debut for India on the Sri Lanka tour a couple of months back, but he was given that opportunity because India’s main squad was in England and the first choice players were not available for the Sri Lanka tour.
When the first choice players will be available, it remains to be seen whether Ruturaj still finds a place in India’s white ball teams.
Vengsarkar has been one of India’s top batsmen and also India’s chief selector in the past. He seems very confident that Ruturaj has not just got the ability, he has also got the temperament required to be a successful international cricketer.
Vengsarkar revealed Ruturaj Gaikwad scored hundreds in England as an academy cricketer
Vengsarkar has seen Ruturaj grow as a cricketer as he learnt the art of batsmanship in Vengsarkar’s academy in Pune and Vengsarkar revealed when he took his academy’s team to England to play a few games, Ruturaj scored hundreds in England as a teenager.
“I take my academy team to England every year to Lancashire. We play 10 matches every year. He scored hundreds in most of the games, and he scored big hundreds, the 160s, 170s,” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.
Ruturaj Gaikwad finished IPL 2021 as the leading run scorer in the tournament with a total of 635 runs in 16 games and won the orange cap. His contribution with the bat at the top of the order, along with Faf du Plessis, was one of the main reasons why CSK won their 4th IPL title.
Apart from that, Ruturaj has also been a consistent performer for Maharashtra in domestic cricket and he even captained Maharashtra in Vijay Hazare trophy last season.
“He (Ruturaj) has the game and he is mentally strong. The selectors must give him an opportunity. When you pick a guy who is in form, it helps. He is also young,” Vengsarkar further added about Ruturaj.
