'Take it one game at a time' - Ruturaj Gaikwad reveals MS Dhoni's leadership advice

India's young batting sensation Ruturaj Gaikwad revealed the leadership advice he received from the legendary cricketer MS Dhoni after the second T20I win over Ireland at the Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin on August 20. The 26-year-old batter scored a gritty 43-ball 58-run knock as India clinched the series against Ireland with a 33-run win.

Gaikwad stated that the captaincy role is a very complicated one, and the former India skipper previously told him to take it one game at a time and not worry about the future. He also stated that he usually does not follow social media much, which is one trait he learned at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League.

“I think leadership role is a very complicated thing to be honest. What Mahi bhai always says is to take it one game at a time. Just be in the present moment, don’t worry about the future. Everyone creates hype and whatever it is. I am not the kind of person who do really watch social media and hear things about what anyone is saying about me. I think this is one of the traits that I have learned at CSK. I am pretty much clear about giving my best in the field, coming back home, chilling with my friends,” said Gaikwad at the post-match press conference.

Leadership for me is to give maximum confidence to the ten players: Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad is all set to captain team India in the forthcoming Asian Games, which is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, starting on September 23.  The 26-year-old stated that leadership for him is to give maximum confidence to his teammates and make sure they back themselves first.

“Leadership for me is to give maximum confidence to the ten players, who are playing. Make sure that I step into their shoes and think about what they are thinking and what they are going through. Sometimes the batters and bowlers have their own plans, they are really thinking about the game from their perspective.

So, I feel it is important to back them in that moment. After the game, there is always an opportunity of what went wrong, what we could have improved. For me in the game particularly, it is more about giving freedom to the players. Make sure they back themselves first. Too many suggestions also create confusion; this is what I believe,” he added.