Sometimes, personal milestones shine even brighter in moments of disappointment. For Ruturaj Gaikwad, that moment came during Maharashtra’s final game of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where the team may have bowed out early, but their captain walked away with his head held high.
Maharashtra failed to make it to the quarter-finals of the tournament, yet Ruturaj Gaikwad ended their campaign on a powerful note. Playing against Goa in Jaipur, he produced a brilliant knock of 134, guiding his team to a narrow five-run victory. It was a performance filled with composure and purpose, the kind that reminds everyone of his quality.
During that innings, Ruturaj Gaikwad crossed an important milestone by completing 5,000 runs in List A cricket. More impressively, his consistency has now taken him to the top of the format’s history books. With an average of 58.83, he has become the highest-averaging List A batter among players who have featured in at least 50 matches. In doing so, he went past Australian great Michael Bevan whose long-standing record average of 57.86 came from over 15,000 runs across 427 matches.
The achievement comes at a time when the 28 years old cricketer is dealing with a professional setback. Ruturaj Gaikwad was left out of India’s ODI squad for the upcoming three-match series against New Zealand, a decision that surprised many, especially since he had scored a century in his most recent ODI appearance.
Reacting to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s exclusion, former India batter Robin Uthappa offered a broader perspective on the challenges faced by players outside India’s traditional cricketing powerhouses. He pointed out that players who do not come from three big states (Punjab, Delhi and Mumbai) often have to work harder and keep proving themselves repeatedly to stay in contention.
Robin Uthappa stressed that resilience is key in Indian cricket, describing it as an environment where players constantly feel the pressure to survive and perform. He said that staying positive, backing oneself and finding motivation even during setbacks are essential traits for success at the highest level.
For Ruturaj Gaikwad, the numbers speak louder than the disappointment. While the national call-up may have eluded him for now, his bat continues to make a compelling case – one run, one record and one innings at a time.
