Ruturaj Gaikwad stands as a beacon of reliability in Indian cricket, yet his national team appearances remain sporadic. Hailing from Pune, this right-handed opener’s story is one of grit and excellence from the grassroots. Joining Vengsarkar Academy young, he dominated under-14, under-16, and under-19 for Maharashtra, laying the foundation for a stellar career.

CSK spotted his potential in the 2018 auction, securing him cheaply before his 2020 breakout: 204 runs in six IPL outings, including three fifties. Retained as opener from 2021, he delivered masterclasses—635 runs with a hundred in the title-winning year, followed by consistent hauls: 368 (2022), 590 (2023), 583 (2024), and early 2025 promise. Priced at 18 crores in the latest auction and briefly captaining CSK, Gaikwad is franchise royalty.

Internationally, opportunities have been scarce. T20I debut in 2021, ODI in 2022—no Tests yet. His stats impress: 633 T20I runs (1 ton, 4 fifties) in 20 innings; 228 ODI runs (1 ton, 1 fifty) in eight. He led India to Asian Games gold, but selections feel injury-dependent, as seen post his South Africa ODI century before being axed against New Zealand.

Gaikwad channels frustration into domestic dominance. Leading Maharashtra, he’s amassed 3,212 first-class runs (9×100, 17×50) in 74 innings across 44 games. List A exploits include 5,060 runs (20×100, 19×50) in 99 matches, highlighted by an unbeaten 220. Across formats, his adaptability screams readiness. As IPL triumphs pile up, the question lingers: when will selectors give Gaikwad the consistent international platform he craves and merits?