Shamik Chakrabarty, Raipur
Ruturaj Gaikwad lined up Keshav Maharaj. It was the 28th over of India’s innings after KL Rahul once again lost the toss and was sent in by his counterpart, Temba Bavuma. A sweep or a four was the prelude. Gaikwad then danced down the track and launched Maharaj a few rows back over deep mid-wicket. The left-arm spinner, a veteran, looked clueless. He followed up with a long-hop, which Gaikwad happily dispatched to the wide mid-on boundary. A belter had been laid out here in Raipur for the second ODI between India and South Africa, but Ruturaj looked a class act against spin.
The mind went back to a few days earlier in Guwahati, where Indian batsmen were caught in a spin web on a surface that earned the “road” moniker from Kuldeep Yadav. Yes, it was Test cricket, entirely different. But, to be constructively critical, the team management and selectors erred by not including Gaikwad in the squad for the second Test against the Proteas. Dhruv Jurel at No. 4 in Shubman Gill’s absence looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
That’s water under the bridge now. Gaikwad probably wouldn’t have been in the ODI squad either had Shreyas Iyer been fit. In the first match in Ranchi, he fell to a Dewald Brevis stunner. In this game, he showed he belongs. Gaikwad’s batting against Marco Jansen during the bowler’s first spell didn’t inspire confidence. He looked uncomfortable against the short ball. But once the spinners came into the attack, the 28-year-old was in his element. His game against the slow bowlers at times wowed Virat Kohli as well.
Gaikwad scored 105 off 83 balls, while Kohli made his 53rd ODI hundred, 102 off 93 deliveries. Together, they added 195 runs for the third wicket. And the youngster was the real story of India’s innings. On occasions, he outbatted and outscored the master. Will his maiden ODI ton help him cement his place in the side? Time will tell.
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