“I feel he plays with that tunnel vision of scoring big” : Wasim Jaffer says Ruturaj Gaikwad needs to take more risks
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer believes that CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad needs to be much more proactive during the early overs. The five-time champions got off the mark in IPL 2026 on Saturday, as the defeated Delhi Capitals by 23 runs.
Chennai Super Kings posted 212 runs on the board, with Sanju Samson scoring a terrific century. However, the skipper’s struggles continued, as he managed to score only 15 runs off 18 deliveries. Wasim Jaffer believes that Ruturaj Gaikwad needs to take on much more risks in the powerplay, and get his team off to strong starts.
Wasim Jaffer believes that Gaikwad has certainly got the game to back his skills, but wants to show much more intent. “He’s somebody who wants to score big. You know, being an opener, I don’t think you need to look at 80 or 100 from the outset. I think you need to look at giving a terrific start, the kind of start the openers want. He’s not somebody who is going at a 200-plus strike rate. If he’s asked to push the scoring rate, I think he needs to take a lot more risk. He’s got the game. He’s got hundreds in the IPL. But he just, I feel, holds himself [back],” Jaffer said, speaking on ESPNcricinfo.
Wasim Jaffer believes Ruturaj Gaikwad can learn from Virat Kohli
Wasim Jaffer believes Ruturaj Gaikwad can learn from someone like Virat Kohli who has developed his game over the years. The RCB batter plays much more fearlessly at the top of the order, and Jaffer believes Ruturaj Gaikwad can certainly learn from him.
“I feel he plays with that tunnel vision of scoring big. We’ve seen [Virat] Kohli do that: change his game. He’s a different Kohli to what we saw at the start of his career. I am sure Ruturaj can do it [but] he needs to put the impact [first], not think about bulk of runs,” the 48-year-old added.
Chennai Super Kings will face Kolkata Knight Riders in a crunch clash on Tuesday, before facing Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday. It will be vital for the five-time champions to continue their winning momentum, and climb higher on the points table.
