Ruturaj Gaikwad’s bat speaks volumes, but Team India’s selectors seem deaf to its tune. Emerging from Pune on January 31, 1997, he embraced cricket early, training rigorously at Vengsarkar Academy from age 11. Maharashtra youth teams witnessed his ascent, prepping him for bigger stages.
CSK’s faith in 2018 paid dividends post-2020: three fifties in six IPL games for 204 runs, cementing opener status. 2021’s purple patch—635 runs, championship glory—ignited hype. Sustained output followed: 368 (2022), 590 (2023), 583 (2024), 122 (early 2025). At 18 crores and ex-captain, he’s IPL elite.
National stage? Patchy. T20I bow in 2021, ODI 2022—no red-ball debut. Impressive returns nonetheless: 633 T20Is (1×100, 4×50); 228 ODIs (1×100, 1×50). Asian Games gold as captain, yet dropped after South Africa heroics for New Zealand. Injury-replacement tag persists.
Home turf fuels him. 3,212 FC runs (9×100, 17×50) in 74 innings; 5,060 List A (20×100, 19×50, 220* best). Leading Maharashtra, his all-format savvy begs for recognition. IPL and domestic feats scream potential; India’s delay risks stalling a generational talent’s prime.