'It seemed like he was playing against kids' - Aakash Chopra believes Ruturaj Gaikwad will be picked for South Africa ODIs

Ruturaj Gaikwad is in the form of his life. The right-hander has scored a whopping 603 runs in just 5 innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and has scored his runs at a colossal average of 150.75.

Gaikwad has also scored 4 centuries in the tournament so far. And, former Indian opening batter Aakash Chopra has heaped praises on Gaikwad. Chopra opined that Gaikwad is treating the bowlers that he is facing like kids. Adding that Gaikwad was playing the sweep shot against the pace bowlers, Chopra feels that Gaikwad is in a totally different league with the way he is wielding the willow.

“The first name, the name at the top is Ruturaj Gaikwad. I mean he has hit four centuries, at one point he had hit three hundreds in three matches and no one was able to get him out. I saw some of his innings. It seemed like he was playing against kids.

He was only playing the sweep shots against the fast bowlers, who does that? Inside out fours against the spinners. Bowlers were bowling alright but Ruturaj actually looked in a different league altogether,” said Chopra while speaking on his YouTube channel.

I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad is ready for the Indian team: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra further opined that Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored over 600 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and has also plundered 4 centuries as well. The 44-year-old also feels that Gaikwad is now ready to don the Indian blues, and concluded by stating that Gaikwad’s name will surely be discussed when the selectors pick India’s ODI squad for the tour of South Africa.

“He made 603 runs at an average of 150 and a strike rate of nearly 113. There are four centuries in that, the recent scores are 168, 21, 124, 154* and 136. It actually felt that the guy is ready for the Indian team. It’s absolutely impossible that his name will not be discussed,” concluded Chopra.