Ambati Rayudu, the former Indian cricketer and former member of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), identified a player he believes has the potential to lead both the Indian cricket team and CSK in the future.
Rayudu decided to bid farewell to his IPL journey this season, celebrating an IPL 2023 victory with the Chennai Super Kings. During a podcast conversation with renowned YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia aka Beerbiceps, Ambati Rayudu expressed his belief that Ruturaj Gaikwad, the 26-year-old opening batter, is being underutilized in Indian cricket. Rayudu sees Gaikwad as a potential captain, not just for the Chennai Super Kings but also for Team India in the times to come.
In the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia, Gaikwad was appointed as the vice-captain for the first three matches. He showcased his prowess with a remarkable century in the third game, scoring 123 runs off 57 balls. His leadership skills were also evident when he led India to a gold medal in the Asian Games 2022 held in China, preceding these T20Is.
In a recent conversation with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia on his talk show, Ambati Rayudu commended Gaikwad for his composure and impressive batting prowess. He expressed confidence that the talented Maharashtra batsman would emerge as a valuable asset for the Indian team in the times to come.
“I think for me who is being underused by Indian cricket right now is Ruturaj Gaikwad. I think he has tremendous talent. He is one guy who should be used more. Should be given opportunities across formats.
His greatness is just his talent, his time on the ball, his shots, his fitness, and his temperament. He has everything to become a world-class cricketer. Rutu is very, very calm, and he knows what he is doing. He has that sense of silent aggression in him. Not very similar (to Dhoni) and has that calmness about him, and he reads the game well. I think he will be a great asset for India,” Rayudu said.
“Hopefully, after Dhoni bhai, he will start leading CSK, and then on, you never know, he might go on to lead India. He has already led India in the Asian Games,” Rayudu further added.
Gaikwad entered the IPL scene with CSK in 2020. The following year, he clinched the Orange Cap as the tournament’s top run-scorer. His T20I debut for India took place on July 28, 2021, against Sri Lanka, while he marked his ODI debut against South Africa in Lucknow on October 6, 2022.
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