India batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad knows well that it will be “tough” and “difficult” to replace Virat Kohli at No. 3 in T20Is and said he is just focusing on making a valuable contribution with the bat at whatever position the team management deems fit. The retirement of Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from the shortest format after the T20 World Cup triumph has opened the doors for upcoming players and Gaikwad is one such talented batsman who has the potential to seal the No. 3 spot. “It is a big topic and I think it is not the right time to think about it. Even comparing yourself to him (Kohli) or trying to replace him is relatively very difficult and very tough,” Gaikwad said on the eve of the third T20I against Zimbabwe.
“As I said before during the IPL, it is difficult to replace Mahi Bhai. You have to definitely start your career, start the way you want to, play your own game. So that is the priority at the moment.”
“Focus on one game, focus on how you can contribute to the team, no matter what your position, and make sure you’re on the winning side as often as possible.”
Gaikwad batted at number three for India in the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe but the Pune-born cricketer said he had no preference and would bat wherever the team needed him.
“No, wherever the team wants, I will bat there. There is no problem. There is not much difference between the opener and number 3 because you have to play the new ball. So there is not much difference,” he said.
Gaikwad led Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year and he said being captain made him more involved in the game, although it made no difference in his batting.
“Actually, to be honest, nothing has changed much. Because my batting is the same as before. I have to play responsibly and try to finish on my own,” he said.
“It’s just that the way you look at the game, I think every time you are more involved in the game since you have been captain of the IPL franchise for a long period.
“So you tend to stay in the game for a longer period of time instead of just staying in the outer boundary and concentrating on one ball. Like I said, in terms of hitting, it doesn’t make much difference.”
Young opener Abhishek Sharma had spoken of how Gaikwad helped him “keep perspective” as he used the hammer and tongs to blast a match-winning 100 in 47 balls in the second T20I.
“Actually, the communication is not coming from a senior player,” Gaikwad said.
“It comes from a batting partner because obviously with non-strikers you feel something about a particular bowler or particular conditions and you have to have that confidence to go and share with your partner whatever you feel and what the right options are, what to do in certain situations.
“It’s definitely something that I’ve done by being a part of every team, be it the state team, the IPL team or the Indian team as well…”
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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