'He handled Umran upfront, with aplomb. Should make selectors happy': Vengsarkar wants CSK star in India's Test team
- While his knock was filled with breath-taking strokes, Vengsarkar, a former India cricketer, was impressed with the manner in which the young CSK batter handled SRH pacer Umran, who was bowling at over 150 kmph.
The 2022 India Premier League (IPL) has thrown a plethora of options to the BCCI selectors to create their pool of T20 players to select from for the next T20I series and the much-anticipated T20 World Cup later in October. However, impressed with his big-hitting stroke play against pace sensation Umran Malik on Sunday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, former chairman of selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar hailed the Chennai Super Kings youngster and admitted that selectors should get him into the Indian Test squad as soon as possible. (Follow IPL 2022 full coverage)
Gaikwad struggled through the major part of the ongoing IPL 2022, scoring just 132 runs in eight innings. However, the youngster, who was the winner of the Orange Cap in 2021 IPL and was retained by CSK for the 15th edition of the tournament, bounced back in style against SRH to score a 57-ball 99 as his side won by 13 runs.
While his knock was filled with breath-taking strokes, Vengsarkar, a former India cricketer, was impressed with the manner in which he handled SRH pacer Umran, who was bowling at over 150 kmph.
“In his earlier match, Umran had shattered the stumps of a few batters. But in this match, Ruturaj handled him upfront and with aplomb. The way Ruturaj played the speedster’s fast deliveries, especially the short ones, should make the selectors happy. Indian players, of late, have found pace and bounce impossible to tackle. Ruturaj was confident personified against the short ones as he stood up and played with ease. I think the selectors should not waste any time in drafting Ruturaj into India’s Test side,” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Ruturaj has so far played three T20Is for India having made his debut in July last year during the team's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka.
“I am glad that it was a match-winning knock. Also important is the fact that he played proper cricketing shots. There was no awkwardness or desperate hittings or cross-batted heaves. Ruturaj plays with a straight bat. He has already proved his mettle in the shorter format of the game. I am confident he will be successful both in Tests and one-dayers. He looks suitable for the Test side,” Vengsarkar said.
