Ruturaj Gaikwad, the star Indian batter, is currently on fire and scoring runs mercilessly. The right-handed batter from Maharashtra is currently competing for his state team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and serving as their captain. The 25-year-old opening batter finished as the top run scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last year, and he has carried on exactly where he left off in 2021 this year as well.
He scored four centuries in five games during the 2021–22 season, and he repeated that feat this year by smashing his fourth hundred during the final, which is currently taking place at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.
The Pune-based right-handed batter entered the 2022–23 Vijay Hazare Trophy final having scored 220 not out and 168 in his previous two innings. In the championship match against Saurashtra, he scored his third consecutive century to assist his team in scoring 248 runs for the loss of nine wickets. With the aid of seven fours and four sixes and 131 deliveries in total, he scored 108 runs.
However, this target was not enough for them to defend. Harvik Desai and Sheldon Jackson put on a brilliant opening partnership of 125 runs for Saurashtra. Desai was dismissed immediately dismissed after completing his half-century, but Jackson went on to score a century and the winning runs. He remained unbeaten on 133 runs in 136 balls, with 12 fours and five sixes.
As a result, Saurashtra won the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the 2022–23 season. In the prestigious List-A competition, this is their second victory.
In the meantime, Ruturaj, who scored the most runs in 2021–2022 Vijay Hazare increased his total from last year's five games, when he scored 603 runs, to 660 runs this year in just five games. Fans and fellow cricketers were impressed by the way he performed for Maharashtra in this year's tournament and praised him on Twitter for his outstanding performance.
"My goddds this man is making domestic cricket look toooo easy . What a player," wrote Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik.
Here's how Twitter reacted to Ruturaj Gaikwad
From 19(61) to 108(131)
— CSK Fans Army™ (@CSKFansArmy) December 2, 2022
RUTURAJ 🦁 GAIKWAD 💥#WhistlePodu | #VijayHazareTrophy pic.twitter.com/gMG0FyKI5H
From 19(61) to 102*(125) courtesy the roaring Ruturaj!
— WhistlePodu Army ® - CSK Fan Club (@CSKFansOfficial) December 2, 2022
Incredible performance by the Skipper yet again in the finals of Vijay Hazare Trophy. @Ruutu1331 #VijayHazareTrohy2022 pic.twitter.com/xLylrMo3AC
2⃣2⃣0⃣* in Quarterfinal
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 2, 2022
1⃣6⃣8⃣ in Semi-final
💯 up & going strong in the #Final
What a sensational run of form this has been for Maharashtra captain @Ruutu1331! 🙌 🙌
Follow the match 👉 https://t.co/CGhKsFzC4g #VijayHazareTrophy | #SAUvMAH | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/jbgdg3O1Eu
Ruturaj Gaikwad now has more Centuries than anybody else in the history of Vijay Hazare Trophy.
— MSDian™ (@ItzThanesh) December 2, 2022
11* Centuries in VHT#WhistlePodu #IPL #CSK #Cricket
As someone said don’t just knock the door, go and break it.
— Now I’m Fearless (@AishuMSD7) December 2, 2022
Hatrick centuries in Quarter finals, Semis, Finals.#RuturajGaikwad pic.twitter.com/DKNdrPkGAT
Ruturaj Gaikwad's stats in List A Cricket - Incredible, unbelievable! pic.twitter.com/QRrBay07YT
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) December 2, 2022
Ruturaj Gaikwad becomes the first player to score a hundred in quarterfinal, semifinal and final of a Vijay Hazare Trophy season.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) December 2, 2022
4th Century for Ruturaj Gaikwad in only 5 innings and 3 of them came in the knockout stages. His 50 came after facing 96 balls and he has scored 50 in the next 29 balls faced. This guy's acceleration is crazy bro. pic.twitter.com/OKIks3vkjU
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) December 2, 2022
220*(159) in Quarter-Final
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 2, 2022
168(126) in Semi-Final
108(131) in final
Big stage, captain of Maharashtra stands tall, Take a bow, Ruturaj Gaikwad. pic.twitter.com/v5zyjYQiSm
My goddds this man is making domestic cricket look toooo easy . What a player @Ruutu1331 you're an absolute and wholesome performer.hundred in all the knockout games. What an achievement 💪💪💪
— DK (@DineshKarthik) December 2, 2022
International cricket beckons again very soon .#VijayHazareTrohy2022