Shane Watson Hails 'Superstar In The Making' Ruturaj Gaikwad Following His Consecutive Match-Winning Knocks

Shane Watson, former Australian all-rounder and the current Chennai Super Kings opener, has hailed his fellow partner Ruturaj Gaikwad as the ‘superstar in the making’, following the latter’s back-to-back match-winning half-centuries against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively.

After having plagued with Covid-19 at the start of the tournament, young Ruturaj Gaikwad had an abysmal start to his IPL career, managing just 5 runs in three outings before getting dropped. Determined to prove his worth, Gaikwad made full use of the second chance that he got in the game against RCB and since then the talented opener hasn’t look behind and has enthralled everyone with his dazzling strokeplay and ice-cool demeanor.

Gaikwad scored a match-winning 53-ball 72 against KKR and he was duly named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his classy knock. After the game, his fellow opener Shane Watson interviewed him, where the veteran all-rounder heaped high praise on the youngster, adding that he looks so calm and composed at the crease and that it was ‘an absolute pleasure’ for him to be able to bat alongside the young superstar.

“He is so calm and composed at the crease. And the shots that he plays, not premeditating anything, wherever the ball is bowled, he takes the game on. It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to bat with you. CSK fans back at home as well, you have certainly got a lot to cheer about because of this young superstar in the making,” Shane Watson said during the interview.

Ruturaj Gaikwad credits the dressing room atmosphere behind his revival in form

In response, Ruturaj Gaikwad went on to hail the dressing room atmosphere while adding that he is looking to continue with his form and hopefully win games for his team.

“Obviously, I am looking to continue my form and win for the team, nothing else matters. Hopefully, we finish the tournament with a win and continue the momentum next year. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed. It does not feel we are out of the tournament. The atmosphere during the first game and during this game was the same. It helps a lot,” Ruturaj Gaikwad told Watson.

MS Dhoni, the CSK skipper, was also full of praise for young Gaikwad. Dhoni, who had recently courted controversy when he had said that he did not see any ‘spark in the youngsters, hailed the opener as the ‘most talented players around’.

He also added that since Ruturaj does not speak much, it became difficult for him and the team management to gauge him.

“He’s one of the most talented players around. What makes it difficult is he’s not somebody who speaks a lot. So sometimes it becomes difficult for the management to gauge a player. Once he started going in the innings, you could see that he was hitting the ball the way he wants,” MS Dhoni said.

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