'There is some class there': 24-year-old star can be an 'all-format player' for India, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar reckons that the player has the potential to become an all-format batter for India.

India will look to level the five-match T20I series against South Africa on Friday when the two teams face off in Rajkot for the fourth match. After going 2-0 down in the series, India finally clicked as a team in the third T20I, scoring 179/5 before bowlers Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel ran through the Proteas batting order and the visitors were all out for 131 runs.

Manjrekar said that the player can be more than just a T20 batter

A big part of their batting effort in the third T20I was the 97-run opening partnership between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan. Gaikwad had scored just over 65 runs in the five T20Is he had played before the match and he ended up being the aggressor in the partnership, scoring 57 runs off 35 balls.

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said that he hopes to see Gaikwad continuing this form as the 25-year-old seems to have the potential to evolve into an all-format batter.

“I hope Ruturaj carries this form because I think there is class there. He has the promise to be an all-format player, which is always nice to be rather than just be one-dimensional,” Manjrekar said in a video posted on his Twitter handle.

Gaikwad is best known for his stellar contributions for Chennai Super Kings in the 2021 season of the IPL, becoming the first uncapped player to win the Orange Cap as they won their fourth title. He has only played six T20Is in his international career thus far and has scored 1349 runs at an average of 38.54 in 21 first class matches.

Manjrekar also said that captain Rishabh Pant's lack of runs this series is starting to become a worry. Pant was dismissed for single digits scores the second and third matches of the series and for 29 off 16 balls in the first match.

“Pant's lack of runs is now a worry. Shreyas Iyer is looking a little bogged down. With so many other batters breathing down his neck he is maybe feeling the pressure,” said Manjrekar.