Ruturaj Gaikwad, the prolific opening batter, surprised everyone with his wicketkeeping abilities during the Maharashtra Premier League (MPL) 2024 season. While his primary role remains batting, Gaikwad’s display behind the stumps has sparked discussions about his potential as a future wicketkeeper.
Ruturaj Gaikwad shows his wicketkeeping skills in MPL 2024
Gaikwad’s wicketkeeping debut against Chhatrapati Sambhaji Kings in MPL 2024 was nothing short of impressive. On the very first ball he faced in this new role, his agility and reflexes were on display. A wide delivery from the bowler threatened to race away for a boundary, but Gaikwad dived spectacularly to his right, pouching the ball cleanly. This acrobatic effort was captured on video and quickly went viral, raising eyebrows and igniting conversations about his potential successor to the legendary MS Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL.
Here’s the video:
Ruturaj Gaikwad 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙨 for Puneri Bappa 🧤#MaharashtraPremierLeague#JioCinemaSports#MPLonJioCinema #MPLonSports18 pic.twitter.com/4pL4X1k7j5
— Sports18 (@Sports18) June 17, 2024
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Guturaj leads the batting charts for Puneria Bappa
While his wicketkeeping skills have garnered attention, batting remains Gaikwad’s core strength. He is currently the leading run-scorer for his team, Puneri Bappa, in the MPL 2024. He has amassed a commendable 290 runs at an impressive average of 48.33 and a blistering strike rate of 168.60, including two well-compiled fifties.
This newfound wicketkeeping skill adds another dimension to Gaikwad’s cricketing repertoire. While his batting prowess is undeniable, his performance behind the stumps has opened doors for interesting possibilities, both for his future with the CSK and the Indian cricket team.
Complete squad of Puneria Bappa in MPL 2024:
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Abhimanyu Jadhav, Pawan Shah, Yash Kshirsagar, Shripad Nimbalkar, Suraj Shinde (wk), Sahil Autade (wk), Saurabh Sanklecha, Roshan Waghsare, Ramkrishana Ghosh, Rohan Kharat, Vivek Selar, Sachin Bhosale, Atif Sayyed, Piyush Salvi, Sohan Jamale, Rahul Desai, Rohan Damle, Aayush Raktade, Neel Gandhi, Shubham Taiswal, Devansh Tandel
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