Ruturaj Gaikwad has emerged as one of India’s most successful and consistent batsmen across all formats. With his calm and explosive batting at the top of the order, he has become a key player for both the Chennai Super Kings and the Indian national team. Known for his maturity beyond his years, Gaikwad has proven that traditional stroke play still thrives even in the modern era of power hitters.
Ruturaj Gaikwad was born in Pune and grew up in an environment that nurtured his cricketing dreams. His passion for the game began at an early age, and he soon joined the Vengsarkar Cricket Academy in Pimpri-Chinchwad. There, his skills were honed under the guidance of experienced coaches. His natural ability to play both fast and spin deliveries with ease made him a standout player in Maharashtra’s age-group teams.
From local tournaments to domestic cricket, young Gaikwad has made remarkable progress. His patience, concentration, and desire to improve with each match have always been a topic of discussion.
Ruturaj Gaikwad made his first-class, List A, and T20 debuts for Maharashtra in the 2016–17 season. He found success during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 444 runs and becoming one of the season’s highest scorers. His batting prowess came to the fore with an innings of 187 against Sri Lanka A in June 2019. He then scored a half-century against Chhattisgarh in the Ranji Trophy. His consistent performances at the domestic level earned him a place in the India A team and then the national team.
Before the 2020 IPL season, Chennai Super Kings signed Ruturaj Gaikwad. Although he didn’t have a good start, he proved he could be a future star for CSK by scoring three consecutive half-centuries towards the end of the season. The following year, Gaikwad made a splash in IPL 2021. He won the Orange Cap, scoring 635 runs and helping CSK win its fourth IPL title. Following his impressive performance in 2021, CSK retained Gaikwad for ₹6 crore ahead of the 2022 mega auction. He succeeded Dhoni as the captain of Chennai Super Kings until 2024, a testament to the franchise’s unwavering faith in his leadership and talent.
His impressive performances in the IPL earned him a place in the Indian national team. He made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in July 2021 and his ODI debut against South Africa in October 2022.
In T20Is, he impressed with his ability to build innings quickly and scored his maiden T20I century, 123, in 2023. His adaptable batting style has made him a leading contender for a permanent opening spot in the limited-overs format.
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20Is | 23 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| FC | 43 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 1.84 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 86 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 0 | – | – | – | 4.80 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 150 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20Is | 23 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| FC | 43 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 1.84 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 86 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 0 | – | – | – | 4.80 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 150 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
In 2025, the estimated net worth of Ruturaj Gaikwad is around INR 40–45 Crore. His major sources of income include:
Ruturaj married fellow cricketer Utkarsha Pawar in June 2023. Utkarsha has represented Maharashtra Women’s Cricket Team. The couple keeps their private life out of media attention and maintains a very simple lifestyle. Their main aim is to working on their cricketing careers.
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From the Pune cricket circuit to becoming the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s journey is the epitome of hard work. His brilliant strokeplay, leadership skills, and desire for constant improvement make him a towering talent in Indian cricket. In the years to come, Gaikwad is poised to reach even greater heights. We can say that he has done just that, carrying forward a legacy of decency, skill, and excellence for Team India and the Chennai Super Kings.
Ruturaj Gaikwad made his IPL debut in 2020 for Chennai Super Kings. After having a slow start, he finished the season with three back-to-back fifties, booking a place in the side.
His highest IPL score is 101 (vs Rajasthan Royals, 2021) while the highest List A score is an innings of 220 against Chandigarh.
CSK retained the services of Ruturaj Gaikwad before the IPL 2022 mega auction for INR 6 Crore. His salary, under his present contract, is the same.
Ruturaj is married to Utkarsha Pawar, a Maharashtra-based cricketer. They got married in June 2023 in a private ceremony.
He wants to be an all-format regular for Team India and win more IPL titles for CSK. His long-term goals include being successful in Test cricket and cementing his place as a reliable top-order batsman.
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