Dubai: A 'reticent' Ruturaj Gaikwad took some time to make a mark in the ongoing IPL but he has managed to impress his CSK skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who believes that the young opener is "one of the most talented players going around".
Gaekwad scored his second straight half-century on Thursday to set up a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders here. He got his chance after Chennai Super Kings decided to field untested players following a disastrous start to the season.
"(The changes) are a conscious effort. We want to give games to people who haven't played and we need them to grab those opportunities. Ruturaj we'd seen him in the nets, but then he got Covid positive and took 20 days. Unfortunate but he'll remember this season," said Dhoni at the post-match presentation.
"He's one of the most talented players going 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." Gaekwad, who had tested COVID-19 positive in the lead up to the tournament, has all the shots and his style of play is pleasing to the eye. (PTI)
