He Tells Me 'Just Enjoy Your Game, Don’t Take Pressure And Play Naturally' - Ruturaj Gaikwad Reveals One Key Advice MS Dhoni Gave Him During IPL
Published - 09 Jul 2021, 07:20 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:49 AM
Ruturaj Gaikwad is in Sri Lanka after receiving his maiden India call-up for the ODI and T20I series. The right-hander so far has achieved tremendous success in domestic cricket and in the IPL, on the back of which he has been given a place in the national setup.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has been one of Chennai Super Kings’ best performers for the last couple of seasons. He hit three fifties in 6 matches last season and in IPL 2021, after scores of 5, 5, and 10, the opener struck two fifties in the next three innings validating the faith captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming had put in him.
The Maharashtra batsman opens up on the time he shared with Dhoni, and the key advice or suggestions he has received from the former India captain during the IPL that he will use on the Sri Lanka tour.
“Mahi bhai emphasis more and more on being relaxed and staying calm while batting. He always tells me ‘tu enjoy kar game ko, pressure mat le, aur naturally khel (Just enjoy your game, don’t take pressure and play naturally).
He tells me – ‘There will be a lot of things and things around you when you play, just don’t bother about those, just focus on your game. He is one player who openly supports his players. His support and guidance have given me a lot of confidence,” Ruturaj Gaikwad Times Of India.
It’s fun to bat in the middle together with Faf du Plessis: Ruturaj Gaikwad
Another senior cricketer who has helped Ruturaj Gaikwad over the last two seasons is Faf du Plessis. Both the right-handers have now formed a strong opening combination for CSK.
The 24-year-old talks about batting with du Plessis, and their conversation after the game, where they dissect their batting.
“Faf doesn’t speak much on the field. If I play a good shot, he will react. He comes, gives a fist pump. But after the match, he will ask a lot of questions like how did I play that shot, etc. It’s fun to bat in the middle together. Every time you see the presence of MS Dhoni and Faf or Suresh Raina, you feel confident and get a boost.
“Faf talks a lot about cricket. Many topics he discusses. Mahi bhai has a lot of knowledge and he shares his experience with us. Whenever I come back from the net, if he is around, he tells me what are my flaws and suggests solutions. Mahi bhai’s words appeal to me a lot. I got a lot of batting tips from Mahi bhai and Faf and I am going to implement them on the Sri Lanka tour,” the youngster added.
