Former Indian cricketer and renowned analyst Aakash Chopra is advocating for the inclusion of Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in India’s squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This comes after Gaikwad’s impressive century (108* off 60 balls) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday night. Notably, Gaikwad became the first-ever CSK captain to score a century, surpassing even legendary figures like MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Aakash Chopra highlighted Gaikwad’s potential on his YouTube channel, questioning why the batsman wasn’t receiving more recognition. “While speaking on his latest YouTube video on the LSG vs CSK post-match, Aakash Chopra asked why is no one talking about the innings that Ruturaj Gaikwad played.”
This call for recognition comes amidst a somewhat inconsistent IPL 2024 season for Gaikwad. While he recently displayed good form with half-centuries in CSK’s previous matches, his earlier performances saw scores of 15, 1, and 26 against Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad. His first half-century came during CSK’s win against Kolkata Knight Riders, where he scored 67* off 57 balls.
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This was followed by a 69-run knock against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. However, Gaikwad’s performance against LSG in their first encounter this season was forgettable, with only 17 runs on the scoreboard. Yet, his recent century against LSG serves as a strong comeback narrative.
Aakash Chopra emphasized Gaikwad’s past achievements as well, particularly his century against Australia in the five-match T20I series played in India after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Chopra also asked if he would be picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies or not.
The former opening batsman also highlighted the century that he struck against Australia during India’s 5-match T20I series in a home series right after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. In his video, Aakash Chopra further commended Gaikwad’s batting approach, praising his focus on classic cricketing shots and playing the ball on its merit.
“He was absolutely outstanding. Some things in cricket haven’t changed for 150 years. If you can drive well and your technique is good, playing the ball on its merit will never go out of fashion. Fashions will keep changing but this is retro. This will always be there and forever,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
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With Gaikwad’s recent century and his past performances, Chopra’s call for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad has sparked a debate. Whether the selectors will heed this suggestion and add Gaikwad to the final team remains to be seen. However, Gaikwad’s impressive knock against LSG has undoubtedly strengthened his case for a place in the prestigious tournament.
