The crowd had gathered for an MS Dhoni show but were instead captivated by a remarkable batting display from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shubman Gill – two players of the old school who possess the awareness to perfectly transition between red-ball and white-ball cricket. Gaikwad’s 92 off 50 balls was proof of his outstanding technique and timing he had in picking lengths, while Gill’s essay – almost as easy as a Ferrari on the fast lane – showed why he has become such a reliable fixture for India in T20Is over the past six months. This special performance from the duo could be enough to make them strong contenders for India’s T20I opening pair.
Gill was a sight to behold as he batted with a million-dollar technique, evidently extending a purple patch of extraordinary success. His flurry of runs has made him the irrefutable first pick for the Indian team across formats, as he brings great excitement which wins almost anybody over – excluding, perhaps, the bowlers who are left feeling helpless and pulling their hair out. Gaikwad demonstrated the tactics of a boxer, stooping low to jab and punch deliveries that were otherwise considered safe to defend. When Pandya bowled a length ball into his body, seemingly trying to confine him, Gaikwad immediately responded by taking advantage of the crease and adapted his wrists to weave the ball between midwicket and mid-on. When the same bowler hit another good length delivery on the fourth stump line, hoping to have Gaikwad nicking it, he used his stature and quick hands to punch the ball through the gap between cover and point. In one moment, he was tilting back and launching balls aimed at his ribcage over deep backward square leg, and in the next, he was driving straight deliveries with effortless grace. It had the bowlers completely baffled and struck dumbstruck, a sentiment that Alzarri Joseph certainly experienced after his opening over.
Joseph is a wizard at bowling hard lengths but had to quickly change his approach since Gaikwad wasn’t willing to give in. When Joseph bowled in the good area, he was flicked over the midwicket. When he went short, he was whipped over the deep backward square. This resulted in three sixes in the first over, assisting Gaikwad in achieving a 23-ball half-century.
Dhoni has had a ringside view of Gaikwad’s “proper batting” performance over the past three years. Initially, when Gaikwad started his IPL career with poor scores of 0,5 and 0 in 2020, he appeared to be mentally overwhelmed. After being diagnosed with Covid, it seemed as though his opportunity had vanished; however, the Super Kings showed faith in Gaikwad, and he has firmly returned their trust.
‘Ruturaj Gaikwad is a pleasure to watch’: Dhoni
“Ruturaj, when he gets going, he’s a pleasure to watch,” Dhoni said. “Because he times the ball really well, uses the pace of the bowler, and makes the right decisions. Under pressure, it’s all about making the right decisions. Over the years, the way he has groomed himself and the way he picks his options, especially when he gets going, he’s very pleasing on the eye.”
Watching Gaikwad and Gill on the pitch was truly a sight to behold. Gaikwad reached his fifty off 23 balls, while Gill managed to do it in 30 – yet neither innings felt any less impressive. Whether it was the grace and finesse of Gaikwad’s shots or the sheer power of Gill’s, it was incredibly difficult to choose which performance was more remarkable. However, if one allowed themselves to revel in the moment without prejudice like Gaikwad and Gill had, they would have walked away feeling enriched, just like the Ahmedabad did.
