Ruturaj Gaikwad delivered a career-defining performance, smashing his maiden ODI century in the second India vs South Africa match at Raipur on Wednesday, reaching the landmark in just 77 deliveries featuring 12 fours and two sixes. The elegant right-hander’s knock propelled India to a formidable 359-5 in 50 overs, setting up a strong platform for the hosts in the crucial series encounter.

Gutted After Missing Out In Ranchi

Gaikwad opened up about his disappointment from the series opener in Ranchi, where he felt he left runs behind on a batting-friendly track. “Last game I was really gutted to miss out on a knock. It was a really good wicket and the conditions were suited for me, could have easily scored a few runs. So really gutted last game and thankfully it came out really well today,” he reflected during the mid-innings break.

The Maharashtra batter’s frustration stemmed from a promising start that didn’t convert into a substantial score, making his Raipur redemption all the sweeter. Gaikwad’s ability to channel that disappointment into a match-winning innings showcased his mental resilience and hunger for big runs on the international stage.

Mastering Two-Paced Conditions

Describing the Raipur pitch, Gaikwad noted it played two-paced during the initial 15-20 overs but settled down later, allowing batsmen to build momentum. “Today it was more suitable for me, I went out to bat around the 11th over, and I told myself to approach it as if I was already 25 or 30 balls in after powerplay and bat accordingly, look to rotate strike. Until 15-20 overs it was slightly two-paced but after that it got better and we worked on that,” he explained.

His smart game plan—treating the innings as if already set and focusing on rotation—paid rich dividends as he gradually accelerated, timing the escalation perfectly once conditions eased.

Dream Partnership With Virat Kohli

Gaikwad shared glowing insights about batting alongside Virat Kohli, with whom he forged a crucial 195-run stand—Kohli also notching his second successive ODI century. “(On batting with Kohli) Obviously a dream to bat with him and have a wonderful partnership. He helped me a lot throughout the middle about how to access gaps, what lengths the bowler might be bowling and how you can adjust your technique and score some runs by playing less dot balls. So definitely very helpful and good learning for me,” the youngster revealed.

Kohli’s tactical guidance on gap-finding, length anticipation, and dot-ball reduction proved invaluable, turning a solid partnership into a game-changing one that pushed India’s total beyond 350.

Small Targets, Big Ambition

The duo employed a structured approach, breaking the innings into five-over targets to maintain momentum. “We had set small targets and we just thought that you know 5 overs we have to achieve this, 5 overs we have to achieve this and once we felt that we were really comfortable in the middle and there came a phase where the ball wasn’t doing much and it was coming really nicely to the bat and I just said that I will back my instincts whatever it is and you know let’s see how it goes on. But definitely after a stage we were thinking about something around 350, thankfully we got that score,” Gaikwad detailed.

Once conditions favored batting and confidence grew, they backed their instincts to attack, successfully reaching their 350-plus ambition.

Dew Factor And Chasing Challenge

Looking ahead to South Africa’s chase, Gaikwad acknowledged the dew threat: “Definitely good score but as we were here yesterday, I think there is a lot of dew, hopefully there will be less amount of dew tonight but definitely chasing 350-plus will be really tough.” His assessment highlighted the strategic importance of the total on a dew-affected evening, where bowling second becomes exponentially harder.

Gaikwad’s emergence as a genuine ODI force comes at a perfect time for India, blending seamlessly with Kohli’s mastery while adding depth to the top order. His technical adjustments, mental growth, and partnership-building skills signal a bright future for the 28-year-old, who has now arrived on the big stage.