Ranji Trophy: Ruturaj Gaikwad slams 86 versus Jammu & Kashmir
What's the story
Maharashtra's cricket team captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, has made a blistering start to his 2024-25 Ranji Trophy campaign. He scored a brilliant 86-run knock against Jammu & Kashmir at the Sher E Kashmir Cricket Stadium. This comes as Gaikwad is likely being eyed for a spot in the squad for next month's Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Gaikwad would want to vie for a place as a reserve batter amidst stiff competition. The 86 runs will boost his confidence.
Match recovery
Gaikwad's performance helps Maharashtra recover
After J&K posted a mammoth total of 519/7, courtesy Shubham Khajuria's record-breaking 255, Maharashtra were reeling at 29/2. However, Gaikwad came to the rescue and guided his team out of the early trouble. He stitched a massive 175-run partnership with opener Siddhesh Veer, which was instrumental in bringing Maharashtra's innings back on track. Gaikwad's knock was studded with 13 fours. However, his innings ended when he was bowled out by Yudhvir Singh.
Squad selection
Gaikwad's potential inclusion in Australia Tests
Gaikwad's current form could see him being picked as a reserve batter for the upcoming Australia Tests. Although Abhimanyu Easwaran is reportedly leading the race, the selectors have shown confidence in Gaikwad by including him in the squad for last year's South Africa Tests. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from participating in that tour. Gaikwad can bat at several positions. Usually, he is an opener but he came to bat at number four versus Jammu & Kashmir in the contest.
Stats
13th FC fifty for Gaikwad
Playing his 34th First-Class match (57 innings), Gaikwad now owns 2,368 runs at an average of 42-plus. This was the star batter's 13th fifty in FC cricket. He also owns six tons. Gaikwad was pretty impressive in the 2024 Duleep Trophy. He bagged scores worth 5, 46, 58, 62, 17 and 44 for India C. Thereafter, he managed nine runs in the Irani Cup versus Mumbai.