'I thought I would not get to play even a single game' - Ruturaj Gaikwad on his IPL 2020 journey

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad impressed everyone with his resilience and class. Though his franchise was the first team to get eliminated from IPL 2020, he stole the show in the last three games. Gaikwad was Man of the match in the last three matches of CSK. However, his journey in this season wasn’t as easy as it looked.

He was one of the two players that tested positive for Covid-19 after landing in UAE. His dream of playing his first IPL match ended with the swab tests and pills. The youngster shared his experience of his first IPL in an interview with Indian Express.

“I thought I would have to sit out of this IPL. To test positive for Covid-19 and get locked up in a hotel room for 22 days was quite difficult. It was my dream to play for the Chennai Super Kings. Just as the 14-day quarantine ended, more bad news erupted at a feverish pace. Another positive Covid test, another week of isolation and fear. “That’s when I got worried. I thought I would not get to play even a single game,” Gaikwad said.

Face it with a smile, it will be over in 14 days: MS Dhoni said to Ruturaj Gaikwad

He remembered how his idol and CSK skipper motivated him with his words during the isolation. He was binge-watching tv-series and was on a Zoom call with his teammates when MS Dhoni told him, “face it with a smile, it will be over in 14 days.”

However, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s awful days didn’t end after his quarantine as the start to his IPL career was horrible. But he left it behind and ended the season on a memorable note. He scored three match-winning half-centuries and the entire cricket fraternity praised his tremendous talent.

Ruturaj summed it up by expressing how the roller coaster ride in IPL has helped him in growing as a person. “IPL has made me a better person. I have realised that in life, one should not take anything for granted. I have now learnt to enjoy the game more and remain in the present because with so much happening in the world, you never know what the future holds,” he concluded.