Asian Games 2023 | 'Winning the Gold Medal Is the Dream, - Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad will be leading India in the Asian Games 2023. (Twitter)
Ruturaj Gaikwad, the captain of India's team for the Asian Games 2023, expressed his fervent dream of winning the gold medal for the nation in the prestigious event scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8.
On Friday, July 14, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Men's and Women's squads for the 2023 Asian Games, with Gaikwad named as the captain of the Men's team.
In a video shared on BCCI's Twitter handle, Gaikwad stated, "The dream would be to win the gold medal, stand on the podium, and sing the national anthem for the country."
Gaikwad expressed his gratitude to the BCCI, management, and selectors, recognizing the honour of representing the Indian team. Leading the side in the Asian Games was seen as a remarkable personal opportunity for him and a platform for all team members to exhibit their abilities and bring glory to their nation.
"Really thankful for this opportunity given by BCCI, the management and the selectors. Playing for India itself is a proud feeling. Leading the team in such a big event, I think it would be a great opportunity for me personally and also for all the team members who are there alongside me. So, really looking forward and really happy and obviously, feeling really proud," Gaikwad said.
With the inclusion of talented youngsters such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Ravi Bishnoi, Prabhsimran Singh, and Shivam Mavi in the Indian T20I squad for the Asian Games, Gaikwad expressed his enthusiasm for the team's composition.
He highlighted the strong bond among the players, forged through their experiences of playing against each other in tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and India 'A' games.
"I think it will be great fun, to be honest, because everyone, I think we all are youngsters. We have been gelling around very well with each other for the last 1 year or last 2 years. Playing IPL against each other, playing India 'A' games and playing some India games as well. So really fun group to be part of," added Gaikwad.
The upcoming Asian Games will undoubtedly be an exciting chapter in Indian cricket. All eyes will be on Ruturaj Gaikwad's leadership as India strives to secure the coveted gold medal, and fans eagerly await the team's performance in the prestigious tournament.
 "Vaibhav Tripathi")
