"To even compare with him or try to fill his shoes is relatively very tough" - Ruturaj Gaikwad on filling Virat Kohli's void in T20Is
Team India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad dismissed comparisons and talks of filling the legendary Virat Kohli's void in T20Is ahead of the third T20I against Zimbabwe. Following India's incredible triumph in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is.
The champion batter finished as the second-leading scorer in T20Is with 4,188 runs in 125 outings. Meanwhile, Gaikwad has played 21 T20I games for India with an impressive average of 38.93 and a strike rate of 141.40.
The stylish right-hander batted at No.3, a position Kohli made his own, for India in the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe.
Talking to the reporters on the eve of the third encounter, Gaikwad responded to the Kohli comparisons by saying:
"This is a big topic and I think it's not the right point to think about it. To even compare with him (Kohli) or try to fill in his shoes is relatively very tough and very hard. Definitely, you want to start your career, you want to start the way you want, you want to play your own game. So that's the priority right now."
Team India suffered a shocking defeat in the series opener against Zimbabwe, failing to chase a paltry 116. However, they rebounded strongly, thanks to Gaikwad's 47-ball 77* and Abhishek Sharma's maiden T20I century to level the series with a 100-run victory.
"Wherever the team wants, I will bat there" - Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad noted that there wasn't much difference between opening the batting and slotting in at No.3. The 27-year-old has made the opening slot his own for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL.
However, for team balance, Gaikwad has moved to one drop in the ongoing Zimbabwe series despite opening for India in his previous 17 T20 innings.
"Wherever the team wants me to bat, I will bat there. There is no problem. There is not much difference between the opening and the No. 3, because you have to play against the new ball. So there is not much difference," said Gaikwad.
He added:
"Focus on one game, focus on how you can contribute towards the team in whichever position you play and make sure you are on the winning side more often than not."
India have opened the batting with skipper Shubman Gill and left-hander Abhishek Sharma in the ongoing Zimbabwe series.
The crucial third T20I to break the 1-1 deadlock will be played at Harare on Wednesday, July 10.