Openers Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis (633 runs) were pillars of CSK’s batting, while pacers Shardul Thakur (21 wickets), Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo (14 wickets each) provided regular breakthroughs
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has described young opener Ruturaj Gaikwad as an “absolute superstar”. Pune-based Gaikwad, 24, played a key role in winning CSK’s fourth IPL title. Playing only in his second IPL season, Gaikwad ended up with the Orange Cap for scoring 635 runs in IPL-14.
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Openers Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis (633 runs) were pillars of CSK’s batting, while pacers Shardul Thakur (21 wickets), Deepak Chahar and Dwayne Bravo (14 wickets each) provided regular breakthroughs.
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“He’s [Gaikwad] an absolute superstar already in my eyes. When we introduced him last year, people were a bit critical, but we were keeping a tab on him and had very high expectations. What we didn’t understand was the effect that COVID-19 would have. We felt for him last year and we are delighted that he finished off the season so well,” Fleming said at the post-match virtual press conference.
“Him [Gaikwad] and Faf scoring so many runs is one of the real reasons we won the IPL. I couldn’t be happier for Ruturaj. He’s a wonderful guy, and for a young player, his maturity is beyond his years. I can’t speak more highly about Ruturaj and his combination with Faf, which was critical,” remarked Fleming.
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