Ruturaj Gaikwad’s redemption (Source: AFP Photos)
In Raipur, under a soft winter sun and in front of a crowd craving a moment of magic, Ruturaj Gaikwad finally carved his name into India’s ODI narrative. His maiden century, built on elegance, resilience, and silent grit, felt far bigger than a personal milestone. It was a redemption story that had waited too long to be written.
Flashback to 2019: The rise of a future star
As he settled into his rhythm, memories from 2019 began to resurface for those who had followed his rise. That year, Ruturaj made his biggest impression, opening for India A against Sri Lanka A. He scored an unbeaten 187 in one of the games and amassed 470 runs in the series at an average of 235.
Back then, it seemed he was on the verge of breaking into the Indian team. Playing alongside future regulars like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj still lagged behind. With Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan being the unbreakable opening pair, and Gill emerging on the scene, opportunities remained scarce.
The long wait and lost opportunities
Ruturaj finally made his ODI debut in October 2022 against South Africa, batting at No. 3, and opened a few times again in 2023. But the big break never quite arrived. He kept coming in and out of the squad, making runs, battling injuries, and occasionally struggling with form at the worst possible moments.
With Chennai Super Kings, Ruturaj touched remarkable heights, winning hearts of fans with match-winning knocks and calm consistency in high-pressure IPL encounters. Yet, despite the brilliance, something always seemed to hold him back from translating that dominance consistently onto the international stage.
Hope flickered, dim at times, but Ruturaj believed, even when the spark never fully ignited.
A chance grasped: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s return against South Africa
Fast forward to November 2025, and once again, India A cricket became the stage that breathed new life into Ruturaj’s journey. Riding on the back of truckloads of domestic runs at the start of the 2025-26 season, he starred in the India A series against South Africa A with a century and a half-century.
With several regulars like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer missing the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa, Ruturaj finally got his chance, again and he grabbed it with both hands. Batting at No. 4, only the second time in his List A career, Ruturaj crafted a brilliant innings, scoring his maiden ODI century, his first hundred for India across formats.
And what could be more poetic than sharing a 195-run partnership with Virat Kohli? Every shot, every run, felt like the fulfillment of a dream he had carried for years. It was not just a century, it was a sigh of relief, a reward for patience, perseverance, and belief. Redemption, long awaited, had finally arrived.
The future will inevitably bring competition. When the regulars return, he may have to wait again. Yet if Ruturaj Gaikwad has proven anything, it is that Indian cricket is richer because of players like him, who rise against all odds, who rewrite their story with courage, and who represent the nation with an unwavering heart.
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