Ruturaj Gaikwad, the newly appointed Chennai Super Kings captain, began his leadership tenure with a victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season opener.
MS Dhoni stepped down as captain, handing the reins to the young opener ahead of the IPL season. "Ruturaj Gaikwad has been named Chennai Super Kings captain for the TATA IPL 2024," CSK said in a statement. "An integral part of the team since 2019, Gaikwad has played 52 IPL matches."
Gaikwad, who hails from Sangvi in Pimpri-Chinchwad city, comes from a non-cricket background. His father, Dashrath, is a retired employee of the Central Defence Research and Development Institute, while his mother, Savita Gaikwad, is a teacher.
After being appointed as Chennai Super Kings captain, Ruturaj's parents expressed their pride in their son's achievement.
Read Also | “It’s a Huge Responsibility but…”:Ruturaj Gaikwad After Taking Over As CSK Captain
"When he first stood up, he held a bat in his hand. We soon realized that cricket was his passion, so we never bought him clothes for his birthday, but gave him a bat instead. We kept providing him with cricket equipment and teaching him the importance of discipline and hard work along with the game. And today, he has become the captain of a big IPL team like Chennai Super Kings (CSK)," Ruturaj's Father said.
"Ruturaj has been playful since childhood. He is quiet at home and more focused on work. As a child, he was always interested in cricket. Once we realized that, we started giving him cricket lessons. He has no cricket background in the family, but we started learning about the game for his career. I started giving him everything he needed for cricket on his birthday. He immersed himself in it. He studied the game and learned a lot from great players. That's why he has been selected as the captain of a big team like CSK today," he further added.
His mother, Savita Gaikwad, says that when Ruturaj plays cricket, he often falls and gets hurt. When he comes home, she asks him if he's okay, but he always says he's fine and doesn't feel anything. However, when she sees him on TV playing in the field, it worries her.
Gaikwad's journey from being on the bench to captaining the same team is a testament to his hard work and talent.
Read Also | R Ashwin opens up on Ruturaj Gaikwad being CSK skipper, says "This was an inevitable decision"
