Captaining in IPL has made me more involved in the game than before: Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad asserted that he is more involved in the game now, having captained Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The legendary MS Dhoni handed the captaincy to the right-handed batter ahead of IPL 2024 and the youngster did a decent job in his first season in charge. CSK won four out of their first six matches but they lost steam as the campaign rolled on and eventually finished at No. 5. Ruturaj, however, spoke about the positives of captaining the iconic franchise, mentioning how he tries to bat with more responsibility and finish matches on his own. He also stated that captaining in the cash-rich league has helped him remain involved for longer periods during the matches.

Also Read: 'It's very tough and very hard' - Ruturaj Gaikwad on filling Virat Kohli's shoes

“Actually nothing much has changed, the batting has been the same. It’s all about playing with responsibility and finishing it on my own so nothing has changed. It’s just the way you look at the game every time. You’re more involved now in the game since you’ve captained an IPL franchise for a long period of time. So, you tend to be in the game for a longer period of time instead of just staying in the boundary outside and just focussing on one ball. As I said, it has not made much difference,” said Gaikwad in a video released by the BCCI.

Ruturaj Gaikwad's performance so far on the Zimbabwe tour

The Maharashtra batter is currently plying his trade for India in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. He had a disappointing outing in the first game, being dismissed by Blessing Muzarabani for 7. However, he bounced back in style in the second encounter, scoring an unbeaten 77 off 47 balls, hitting 11 fours and a solitary six. Ruturaj would want to build on this knock and seal his spot in India's T20I side.

Also Read: ZIM vs IND: Skipper Shubman Gill impressed with Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s incredible knocks

The series is intriguingly poised at 1-1 and the crucial third T20I is set to be played at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday, July 10.