'I was surprised he didn't get more opportunities in Team India...': Sehwag's daring 'Dhoni' prediction for Gaikwad
Batting legend Virender Sehwag was certainly impressed with Gaikwad's knock vs GT as he made a daring ‘MS Dhoni’ prediction on the CSK youngster.
After round 1 of the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ruturaj Gaikwad stands atop in the Orange Cap list with his stunning knock of 92 in the season opener in Ahmedabad against defending champions Gujarat Titans. Although Gaikwad's efforts went in vain, he did create an impression, which could go a long way in his attempt to make a return to the Indian team. Batting legend Virender Sehwag was certainly impressed with that show at the Narendra Modi Stadium as he made a daring ‘MS Dhoni’ prediction on the CSK youngster.
On the back of a stellar show in IPL 2021, where he had scored 635 runs in 16 matches with a century and four fifties in CSK's triumphant run, Gaikwad made it to the Indian team. He made his international debut in the T20I series in Sri Lanka in 2021 and later appeared in his maiden ODI match in 2022.
Sehwag, in conversation with Cricbuzz, admitted that he was surprised at Gaikwad not getting an extended run in the Indian team. The 26-year-old managed only 10 appearances for India, nine of which were in T20Is, where he scored only 135 runs with a solitary fifty.
The former India batter feels that on the back of a stunning run in Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy, where he Gaikwad amassed 295 runs in six games with two centuries, and hopefully a great IPL 2023, the CSK star can make a return to the Indian side and cement his spot as well. Sehwag also went ahead to make a daring statement saying that he feels Gaikwad is the true heir to Dhoni's captaincy role in CSK, snubbing the likes of much-discussed Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja, who was given the chance last year.
“It is not about scoring fifties, what he does it he converts those into hundreds. That is what makes him special. When he had scored runs for CSK, two seasons back, he had scored a century as well. But I was surprised he didn't get more opportunities to play for India because when others get the chance and then they perform, he will have to wait more. If this season goes well, then he may not have to wait long for India return. I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad is the ideal successor of MS Dhoni for the captaincy of CSK,” he said.
