Ruturaj Gaikwad, the most graceful right-handed batsman of Pune has left a touch of consistency, perseverance and brilliance in Indian cricket. With his perfect batting style and leadership skills, Ruturaj has not just left a mark in the domestic cricket, but also created a niche in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and international cricket. Since joining a cricket academy in Pune at a tender age, being a captain of the Chennai Super Kings team, Ruturaj has had an experience of talent, hard work and his passion to play the game of cricket.

Early Life and Background

First Name: Ruturaj Dashrat Gaikwad.

Date of Birth: 31 January 1997

Age: 28 years (as of 2025)

Place of birth: Pune, Maharashtra.

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Nationality: Indian

Height: 5′ 9″ (175 cm)

Eye Color: Black

Hair Color: Black

Ruturaj Gaikwad was born and brought up in Pune which is a city with a strong cricketing culture in Maharashtra. He once had a strong interest in the sport of cricket at a very young age and he began to train in the discipline at the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, situated in the Pimpri-Chinchwad locality. This academy was named after an Indian cricketing legend Dilip Vengsarkar and this was the prophecy Ruturaj had been waiting to get his career in the field of cricket.

In his childhood in Pune, Ruturaj was a great disciplined and committed student who could combine his education and practice in the art of cricket. Friends and coaches talk about his concentration and hard work, and even then, they need not have given the impression that he would be in bigger arenas.

Cricketing Journey

Ruturaj started his cricketing career in the state level where he captained the Under-16 and Under-19 team of Maharashtra. His regular appearance in these age group tournaments put him in the senior team in the Ranji Trophy in 2016-17 and this was his first experience in the first-class cricket. His ability and calmness at the crease made an immediate impression on the selectors as well as the cricket fans.

Gradual improvement of Ruturaj in domestic cricket made him to be picked by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League at a base price of ₹20 lakhs. This was a great milestone to his career as he was able to demonstrate his abilities on the international platform among some of the largest personalities in the world of cricket.

Ruturaj made one of his career defining performances on June 2019 as he played for India A and scored an unbeaten 187 runs against the Sri Lanka A. This is a great innings that made him the Man of the Match, and it was a great sign of his capability to play long significant innings against good opposition.

Instead of being a regular business man, I aspire to become an IPL star player and hope to achieve that in my lifetime.

The IPL journey of Ruturaj Gaikwad started in 2019 in the Chennai Super Kings. He started as a supporting player but over time he had proven to be one of the most reliable batsmen in the team. Ruturaj was also known to have a very good stroke play and sharp cricketing brain, as well as a calm demeanor, which made him a major part of CSK batting lineup.

Ruturaj encountered a challenge in an unexpected way in 2020 during the IPL in the U.A.E. He was forced to withdraw his cricketing activities and concentrate on his recovery after he tested positive of COVID-19 together with other team members. He showed a spirit of resilience by coming back to practice sessions on 21 September 2020 and soon form.

The relations between Ruturaj and the legendary CSK captain MS Dhoni have never been disregarded. He used to practice with Dhoni and learned to be a leader, read the game, and finish the game when the pressure is on. This guidance was critical in his style of leadership and approach to cricket.

In 2022, he delivered one of his most incredible IPL performances by displaying his explosive batting with Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Uttar Pradesh versus Ruturaj Ruturaj, against Uttar Pradesh, made 43 runs in a single over, including seven sixes (seven consecutive). This was a great performance that showcased his domination over bowlers and influencing the direction of a game by himself.

Foreign Introduction and Success.

The regular efforts of Ruturaj in domestic and IPL cricket games finally made him a member of the Indian national team.

T20I Debut: 28 July 2021 with Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium.

ODI Debut: 6 October 2022 v South Africa Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.

Along with representing India in the senior level, Ruturaj has played in a few domestic and representative teams like India A, India B, India Blue and India Under-23 and has always impressed with his batting performance and cricketing prowess. His jersey number 31 has been turned into his brand, not only of CSK but of national team as well.

Captaincy and Leadership

Ruturaj has proved his leadership capabilities when he was appointed as the captain of Chennai Super Kings before the 2024 IPL to replace one of the most legendary players, MS Dhoni. CSK began to rise under his captaincy and Ruturaj was leading by example by scoring vital runs including a fifty on 8 April 2024 against Kolkata Knight Riders and this made him the first captain of CSK to score a fifty in five years.

Another major leadership position awarded to Ruturaj came in July 2023, when Ruturaj was named captain of the Indian men’s team at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. This acknowledgement had once again solidified his reputation as a reliable leader who can manage the pressure in high-stake tournaments.

Records and Significant Accomplishment.

Ruturaj Gaikwad already left an impress with several striking records:

• In June 2019, scored 187 runs in India A against Sri Lanka A.
• Hit seven half-a-dozen in one over in the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter final in November 2022.
• 2024 IPL became CSK captain in order to score a half-century.
• He has a record of scoring consistently on the domestic and IPL levels.

His style is defined by gracious drives, perfect timing and speeding up of the innings whenever it is necessary. Ruturaj has also received positive reviews of his displays of both technical prowess and strategic thinking and is currently one of the up-and-coming cricketing stars in India.

Personal Life: Family and Marriage.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is a family-oriented man, off the field. On 3 June 2023, he married Utkarsha Pawar after a gorgeous Mehndi ceremony on 1 June 2023 in Mumbai. Their relationship was not a secret and before getting married, the couple has given clues about their love life over social media, which makes them a buzz among fans.

Ruturaj likes a life of traveling and playing golf in his free time. He makes sure that he has time to enjoy with his family as well as trying out new things beyond the cricketing field although his schedule is full of cricketing activities.

Ruturaj Gaikwad.

• Ruturaj started playing cricket at a tender age, and he had to train very hard in the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy.
• He is a fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and has been caught under his training several times.

Ruturaj became part of CSK team since Suresh Raina had pulled out of IPL due to personal reasons, which shows the confidence the team placed in the potential of Ruturaj.

He has a reputation of having a cool disposition both at the field and off the field, and this has made him a safe batsman during adversarial moments.

Ruturaj is a very fit player and dedicated to fitness and agility, thus this has placed him among the fittest players in the league, who can play long innings and still perform well.

Playing Style and Cricket Philosophy.

The timing, precision, and aggressive stroke play combine to form an elegant batting style of Ruturaj. Being a right-hand batsman, he is not afraid of either pace or spin. His innings anchoring skills, strike rotation and speeding up as needed have rendered him to be invaluable to his teams in the domestic and IPL as well as the international matches.

Being a captain, Ruturaj puts stress on the team spirit, clever field positioning, and supporting young talents. His leadership approach is relaxed and aggressive and is based on his leader, MS Dhoni, which renders him a hero to the would be cricketer.

The Social Media Presence and Public Image.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is also very active on the social media and his cricketing events and personal achievements are closely monitored by the fans. He is a modest and easy-going person; as a result, he strikes a balance between his professional and personal life. He is a relatively down to earth man and cricketing ability, which makes him one of the most respected cricketers of his generation.

Future Prospects

Ruturaj Gaikwad has become a cricketer whose achievement is a dream of many at the tender age of 28 years old. His life has been motivating since he took over the domestic cricket to becoming the leading Chennai Super Kings to his international representation of India. In his further development, Ruturaj will be a vital figure in the future of the Indian cricketing not only as a prolific batsman but also as a leader who would be able to mentor young talent.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is not only a star of the present but the hope of Indian cricket in the future with his excellence, passion on the game, and his quiet but demanding leadership.

Conclusion

The life of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who made his way to the Pune cricket ground to become the captain of one of the most recognized IPL franchises, is one of talent, hard work and dedication. His stylish batting, performance and leadership qualities have earned him a household name in Indian cricket. His personal life off the field is a mirror image of the same approach of being grounded and disciplined like in the field of cricket.

Now that Ruturaj is chasing records, leading teams, and playing an inspiring role to the next generation, there is one thing that is sure, and that is he has the potential of becoming one of the legends in Indian cricket.

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Attribute	Details
Full Name	Ruturaj Dashrat Gaikwad
Date of Birth	31 January 1997
Age	28 years
Birthplace	Pune, Maharashtra
Height	5′ 9″ (175 cm)
Batting Style	Right-hand batsman
International Debut	T20I: 28 July 2021, ODI: 6 October 2022
Domestic Teams	Maharashtra, India A, India B, India Blue
IPL Team	Chennai Super Kings
Jersey Number	#31
Wife	Utkarsha Pawar
Marriage Date	3 June 2023