In the star-studded batting line-up of Chennai Super Kings, which boasts the likes of MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, it was the 24-year-old Ruturaj Gaikwad who grabbed all eyebalss with his blistering 88-run unbeaten knock off 58 balls. The right-handed batsman showed composure when CSK were reduced to 24/4 in powerplay overs and helped the yellow brigade come back in the game. SportsTak spoke exclusively to Gaikwad’s first childhood coach, Mohan Jadhav from the Dilip Vengsarkar Academy to learn more about the CSK batter.
The way Ruturaj had batted last night. Did he always bat like this?
Yes, he always bats like this. I have seen this kind of inning from him a lot since his childhood. His experience of playing a good inning helped him today because the level he is playing at, the pressure that is there, he has handled that kind of pressure since childhood.
You have watched him as a young kid when he came into the Dilip Vengsarkar Academy, how different was his game from the other kids? Tell us about his cricketing journey.
When he was 11 years old, he was selected by the Dilip Vengsarkar Academy. The setup at the academy is very good and the kid benefits from it. He is very strong mentally since his childhood days and that showed he would go a long way. He had the knack for learning. Whatever we used to teach, he used to write it down in his diary. His process was very important.
Did he get support from the family to choose cricket instead of studies?
They never stopped him. They were the ones who gave him his first cricket bat and always supported him. I told his parents that he is more into sports and not into studies, and he will make a career in cricket. So, the support was always there.
How did he develop interest in cricket? Was there any growing up hero or any cricketing idol?
He was a huge fan of Sachin Tendulkar since his childhood. He used to read about him, watch his games, read about his cricketing style, his thinking style. He has grown up watching Sachin and MS Dhoni. And, he is lucky that today he is playing with him and learning from him. These idols mattered a lot to him.
Has he ever met Sachin Tendulkar or want to meet him?
He has never met him but has watched him. During the opening of the Dilip Vengsarkar’s Academy, he watched both Sachin and Dhoni. He watched the duo at the academy and then got to be with both of them last night during the match.
Do you see him converting his fifties into a hundred someday?
He keeps on scoring centuries, that’s how his game is. His basic is so strong. He changes his batting style and thinking style according to the game. That’s why he handled the situation last night easily.
How much of an impact he had from Dhoni and Dravid?
Both of them have a big role in his career as since childhood he has been watching both of them. When he went for the Sri Lanka Tour, he was very excited that he would be playing under Rahul Dravid. He was also under Dravid in Challengers Trophy and his Uunder-19 days. Even then he was very excited. But, whoever is in front of him, without being in awe of them he listens to them, observes them and takes things from them and he never gets excited on the spot. That’s why he can handle such situations well and that is why when such big stars come in front him, he is able to learn from them. He is benefitting a lot under CSK’s management and Dhoni. He has a tremendous learning capacity.
Do you see him playing long innings for India? Do you see him play the Test format?
I want to see him in the Test format because of his batting style. He will play better in the Test format. Actually, he loves ODI format. He has also scored 300 for our club in the longer format, he has scored 200 and scored many 100s. He is a longer format player. Even during his U-16 and U-19 days, he used to score 200, 250 and once he scored 309 in an innings.
