Ruturaj Gaikwad's 92 draws rich praise from MS Dhoni & Hardik Pandya
Ruturaj Gaikwad was in excellent touch against GT in IPL 2023 opener (Source: iplt20.com)
In a thrilling IPL 2023 opener, Ruturaj Gaikwad's phenomenal knock of 92 was the standout performance of the match. Despite his efforts, Chennai Super Kings suffered a five-wicket loss to the defending champions, Gujarat Titans, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
However, Gaikwad's captain, MS Dhoni, was full of praise for the young opener, stating that he was "brilliant" and a "pleasure to watch". Dhoni commended the young opener's shot selection and ability to time the ball, highlighting the importance of younger players stepping up in the tournament.
"Rutu is a pleasure to watch, he times the ball very well. He has groomed himself very well, and makes the right decisions under pressure. It's important that the youngsters step in," Dhoni said after the game.
Furthermore, Gujarat skipper, Hardik Pandya, was equally impressed with Gaikwad's batting display, stating that at one point, it seemed impossible to dismiss him. He revealed that the Titans were struggling to find the right areas to bowl at Gaikwad and that some of his shots were outrageous, with the young batsman punishing both good and bad deliveries.
“We were finding it difficult on what area we should bowl at Ruturaj. I genuinely felt that today we could not get him out at all,” Pandya told reporters.
Despite CSK's loss, Pandya was optimistic about the 26-year old's future, expressing confidence that he could do wonders for Indian cricket. He emphasized that Gaikwad had the talent and ability to succeed at the highest level and predicted that the Indian cricket team would fully support him when the time comes.
“Full credit to him the way he batted and if he continues to do so he is going to do wonders for Indian cricket,” the GT skipper concluded.
 "Jatin")
