‘Mahi bhai always says don’t worry about the future’: Ruturaj Gaikwad on learning the traits of leadership from MS Dhoni | Cricket News

Veteran Indian spinner R Ashwin compares his elegant batting to “Prabhu Deva’s dance moves” and someone who he can “pay to watch” all day on the nets. Former India wicketkeeper and selector Kiran More has tipped him to be the “future India captain.”The 26-year-old, who scared a crafty 43-ball 58 and put India in the commanding position in the second T20I, has learned a trick or two from his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper and shunned down all the expectations calling it an “unnecessary hype.”

“I think leadership role is a very complicated thing to be honest. What Mahi bhai always says is to take it one game at a time. Just be in the present moment, don’t worry about the future. Everyone creates hype and whatever it is. I am not the kind of person who do really watch social media and hear things about what anyone is saying about me. I think this is one of the traits that I have learned at CSK. I am pretty much clear about giving my best in the field, coming back home, chilling with my friends,” he told reporters after India’s 33-run win in the second T20 in Dublin.
On his leadership
Ruturaj, who leads his state team Maharashtra in the domestic cricket and will be captaining India in the upcoming Asian Games says leadership differs from “person to person”.
MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad in action during the IPL. (BCCI/IPL)
“Leadership for me is to give maximum confidence to the ten players, who are playing. Make sure that I step into their shoes and think about what they are thinking and what they are going through. Sometimes the batters and bowlers have their own plans, they are really thinking about the game from their perspective. So, I feel it is important to back them in that moment. After the game, there is always an opportunity of what went wrong, what we could have improved. For me in the game particularly, it is more about giving freedom to the players. Make sure they back themselves first. Too many suggestions also create confusion; this is what I believe,” he said.
On the pitch
The Indian opener admitted that the pitch in the second ODI was a bit on the slower side, and the team is happy to win the series against a competitive Ireland side.
“The pitch was on the slower side due to the rain overnight, and the incessant downpour in the past couple of days has made it a bit damp. It was touch on the slower side, and there was a spongy tennis ball bounce. Back of the length was difficult to negotiate, I felt the slower ones and the cutters were difficult to hit on this wicket,” he said.

“I guess we have played good cricket in both games. I think Ireland are a very competitive side and they played well today as well; two or three hits here and there, they could have reached closer to the target. As far as winning 3-0 is concerned, the series win is more important than 3-0 or 2-1, it doesn’t really matter,” he said.
On Rinku Singh
If Ruturaj Gaikwad set the tone with a 71-run partnership with Sanju Samson for the third wicket, it was Rinku Singh (38), who was certainly a crowd favourite and provided India the finishing touch in the last over.
India’s vice-captain has showered praise on the southpaw and pointed out what youngsters can learn from watching Rinku play.
“Rinku is already everyone’s favourite in the IPL. The way he has batted in the IPL, he has shown a lot of maturity,” he said.
Rinku Singh scores a 21-ball 38 against Ireland in the second T20I. (BCCI/Twitter)
“I think one of the standout things about him is that he doesn’t attack from ball one. He gives himself time, no matter what the situation is. He always assesses the condition and then starts to take on the bowlers.
“It is good learning from all the upcoming players who want to be a finisher. It is always important that you take some time, and you can always cover it up later.
“He knows when to pull the trigger. It was an important innings for him; he was batting for the first time in international cricket. I feel this will help him a lot,” said Gaikwad.
On his knock
Gaikwad candidly admitted that being an opener in the T20 format is a luxury as it gives him a chance to chew up some deliveries early on to settle down.

#RuturajGaikwad – hitting boundaries 🔥 with the luck of the Irish 🍀 and the flair of an Indian 🐅#IREvIND #JioCinema #Sports18 pic.twitter.com/hKkDN87VFD
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 20, 2023
“I think being an opener, I have the luxury to eat up some balls upfront. Face 10-15 balls, and then come back and cover,” he said.
“It is difficult for batters coming in. Usually, there are fewer overs left. Sometimes 8 or 10. They cannot afford to play too many dot balls. Being an opener, it is always great to assess the wicket, play accordingly and figure out what shots you can play and what shots you can’t play.Most Read
1
Gadar 2 box office collection day 9: Sunny Deol-starrer records biggest second Saturday of all time, inches towards Rs 400 crore

2
Aamir Khan showed up at my one-room-kitchen at midnight because he was not satisfied with a scene: Mushtaq Khan

See More

“I think today I felt the wicket was on a slower side, so one batter had to be there till the 15th over or till 17th and 18th. That was the plan,” he said.

On being a fringe player
Ruturaj Gaikwad was with the Indian team for the West Indies tour. The right-handed batter, despite being a member in all three formats didn’t get any match to play. However, he understands that it is not easy to break into the main Indian team, and he is happy with whatever opportunity he is getting.
“This series is very important to me. It makes a big difference when you are playing the series from the first match. You come in with a lot of confidence, lot of preparation and the right mindset. But I think you can also accept sometimes that there is no space in the main team; there are batters who are doing really well. It is a mixed feeling,” he said.
The third T20 game will be played on Wednesday.