Former cricketer Aakash Chopra thinks Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Chennai Super Kings’ captain, might play for India’s Twenty20 World Cup squad next year. Last Tuesday, Gaikwad scored an impressive 108 runs off sixty balls against the Lucknow Super Giants. He helped Chennai set an imposing 211-run target. Despite Gaikwad’s heroics, Lucknow chased down the total with six wickets remaining and three deliveries to spare. They leapt above Chennai into fourth place on the tournament points table.
In a YouTube video on CSK’s batting, Aakash Chopra lauded Ruturaj Gaikwad for getting an ambitious century and said that he could be considered for the T20 World Cup.
“When Chennai got to bat first, Ruturaj scored a century. The question is whether he should be taken for the T20 World Cup. Think about it. No one is talking about him but they should. Why not? He recently scored a century against Australia and has also scored a century here. In fact, he is the first Chennai captain to score a hundred.”
Aakash Chopra
The former India hitter remarked that the CSK opener played a methodical knock and couldn’t have done more.
“He was absolutely outstanding. Some things in cricket haven’t changed for 150 years. If you can drive well and your technique is good, playing the ball on its merit will never go out of fashion. Fashions will keep changing but this is retro. This will always be there and forever.”
“He ran at a strike rate of 180. He played shots all around the park. He couldn’t have scored more runs than this. He couldn’t have taken the team to a bigger total as well. 230 wasn’t possible as that much dew wasn’t there at the start. The ball was getting slightly stuck at the start.”
Aakash Chopra
Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 12 fours and three sixes throughout his undefeated century. He scored 104 runs for the fourth wicket with Shivam Dube, ensuring that CSK set a difficult goal for LSG.
“I am saying book his ticket because he is batting differently” – Aakash Chopra on CSK’s Shivam Dube
Aakash Chopra believes Shivam Dube must make India’s T20 World Cup squad. He is confident about Dube’s inclusion.
“Shivam Dube – I am saying book his ticket because he is batting differently. He hits spin. In fact, no one brings spin in front of him. Everyone is scared that Shivam has come and will hit. KL Rahul bowled only four overs of spin. He hit fast bowlers as well, hit them decently and very far as well.”
“He hit some balls so far that it seemed like they might have to be brought back with a taxi. Shivam Dube should be going to the West Indies without a shadow of doubt. 210 were scored, which is not bad. Dhoni came for one ball and hit a four.”
Aakash Chopra
In eight innings of IPL 2024, Shivam Dube has scored 311 runs at an impressive strike rate of 169.94. Only Ruturaj Gaikwad (349) has scored more runs for CSK this season.