• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Technique Doesnt Aakash Chopra On Ruturaj Gaikwad After Match Losing Century

'Technique Doesn't...' - Aakash Chopra On Ruturaj Gaikwad After Match-Losing Century

image-lpj9ielhRuturaj Gaikwad (Twitter)

Former opener Aakash Chopra held Ruturaj Gaikwad's maiden T20I century for India in Guwahati on Tuesday (November 28) in high regard and heaped effusive praise on the young right-hand opener for his technical base and command at the crease. 

Before Glenn Maxwell's memorable hundred snatched victory from the hands of India, it was Gaikwad who lit up the third T20I of the five-match series with a scintillating back half to his innings. The elegant Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener retained his technical correctness and still ended up making 123 off 57 deliveries.

Gaikwad was criticised in retrospect for his sedate beginnings, standing at 21* off 21 at one point before he shifted gears and completely dominated the understrength Australian attack to make 102 runs off his next 36 deliveries in a devastating assault that featured 13 fours and 7 sixes.


Chopra praises Ruturaj Gaikwad after Guwahati ton

Chopra spoke about the player's right technique and how it doesn't impose any shackles on his range, instead, liberates him to enter the beast mode at will as he did against the Aussies on a flat batting surface at the Barsapara Stadium in Assam.  

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra reminded cricket lovers why Gaikwad played second-fiddle to extravagant skipper Suryakumar Yadav early on his innings. As India suffered the twin early blows of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan, it was critical for someone to farm one end whilst Suryakumar stuck to his aggressive ways and pulled the side back in the contest. 

"Suryakumar (Yadav) batted the way only he can. This is an appreciation video for Ruturaj Gaikwad because he had scored 22 runs off his first 22 balls and you were thinking what was happening. It was a reconstruction phase but Surya was hitting and Rutu was still taking his time," he said. 


"210-220 had to be scored. You couldn't have even fought in anything less than that. Then Ruturaj Gaikwad changed gears," Chopra added. "Certain players make you realize repeatedly that technique does not shackle you, it liberates you. He batted extremely well. He was brilliant, scored 123."