'He can be the future captain of India': Ex-India wicket-keeper sees leadership qualities in Ruturaj Gaikwad

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Kiran More believes that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad boasts the leadership attributes that can one day put him in charge of Team India.

SportsTak

• Sun • 20 Aug 2023

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Kiran More believes that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad boasts the leadership attributes that can one day put him in charge of Team India. Gaikwad was appointed as the Men in Blue's vice-captain for India's tour of Ireland in 2023 and is currently Jasprit Bumrah's deputy in the three-match T20I series in Dublin. In the upcoming Asian Games, Gaikwad will lead India in the quadrennial competition and it will be the first time that onlookers will have a chance of watching the youngster's leadership attributes on the big stage.

More is waiting on watching Gaikwad play Test cricket for India and believes playing under MS Dhoni in Indian Premier League (IPL) would have done a ton of good to the youngster.

"I'm waiting for his (Gaikwad) Test debut. Both (Gaikwad and Jaiswal) are outstanding players. Ruturaj can play all formats, his basics are so correct. He can be the future captain of India as well. He has got a great temperament. He plays under MS Dhoni, so he must have learned things about handling the team and handling the situations. He's a quality player, and I'm waiting for him to make his Test debut," More said on Jio Cinema.

When it comes to captaincy, Gaikwad is not a greenhorn. The 26-year-old is Maharashtra's captain in List-A and T20 matches. It would be interesting to see how Gaikwad uses his captaincy experience to marshal his troops in the Asian Games.

Gaikwad has also been touted to succeed Dhoni when it comes to CSK's captaincy. Dhoni, at most, will play in more edition of the cash-rich tournament in 2024. Once Dhoni decides to walk away, Ruturaj will definitely be one of the contenders to take the job.

It is still early days for Gaikwad in international cricket as he has featured in just 12 matches for Team India. The 26-year-old has played 12 T20Is and two ODIs for the Men in Blue.