Indian captain Rohit Sharma is already under pressure to bat on the current tour of Australia, and now Ruturaj Gaikwad’s stunning century in List A cricket has added to that pressing pressure ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Rohit Sharma’s numbers are not good at all so far in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, as the veteran batsman has managed just 19 runs in three innings against Australia at an average of 6.33. He has been struggling in Test cricket this year, averaging just under 15.
Pressure mounts on Rohit Sharma as Ruturaj Gaikwad shines in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25
On the other hand, Ruturaj Gaikwad was dominating domestic cricket when he was the captain of the Maharashtra cricket team, aggressively pushing his case for India’s recall and putting pressure on Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Gaikwad put in a stunning performance in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 against Services.
The Maharashtra captain smashed 148* off just 74 balls to lead his side to a nine-wicket win over Services, as they chased down a target of 204 in 20.2 overs at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy in Mumbai on December 23.
Gaikwad’s combination of power and accuracy left fans and cricket experts in awe. Earlier, Maharashtra bowlers set the tone with their stunning efforts, as Pradeep Dadhi and Satyajit Bashhav dismantled the Services batting line-up with figures of 3/38 and 3/36 respectively. Disciplined bowling restricted Services to a modest total of 204, and Gaikwad then did the quick work for Maharashtra.
Ruturaj Gaikwas hits 4 boundaries and 11 sixes against Services
Ruturaj Gaikwad took center stage during the chase, launching an all-out attack on the service bowlers. The Maharashtra skipper’s innings was nothing short of spectacular, including 14 boundaries and a staggering 11 sixes in the 2024-25 VHT encounter in Mumbai.
Thanks to fearless aggression and perfect timing, Gaikwad’s display of dominance decided the match for Maharashtra in style. Well, this exceptional performance not only boosted Maharashtra’s campaign in the ongoing 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy but also boosted Gaikwad’s chances of making India’s squad for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Read also: Sanjay Manjrekar exposes Rohit Sharma in front of the world
As India prepares for the high-stakes Boxing Day Test against Australia, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s impressive performance in the ongoing 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy has caught the attention of the national selectors.
Ruturaj Gaikwad grabs the attention of the Indian selectors with his explosive batting
The national selectors are closely monitoring the performance in the tournament to identify talent for India’s 50-over squad and Gaikwad’s exceptional form has boosted his chances of making it into the national team.
The CSK captain’s unique ability to steady the innings with explosive batting makes him a strong candidate for India’s white-ball squad and the Champions Trophy 2024-25.
Apart from Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan also caught attention with a stunning knock of 134 runs off just 78 balls for Jharkhand in their win over Manipur, adding more heat to the battle for the limited-overs wicket in Team India.
Notably, Gaikwad was named Player of the Match after winning the match unbeaten against Services. Maharashtra will next take on Meghalaya in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 on December 26 at the Dr DY Patel Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.
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