Follow UsRuturaj Gaikwad’s current form isn’t the greatest, as the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper suffered humiliation in the red-ball clash against Chhattishgarh, with scores of 1 & 11 in the ongoing Buchi Babu Trophy. Despite his poor form, the Maharashtra batter won’t be available for the side’s next round clash against Tamil Nadu Cricket Association XI (TNCA XI) that starts on August 22 (Friday).
According to ESPNCricinfo’s reports, Gaikwad will now leave Chennai and link up with his West Zone teammates ahead of the Duleep Trophy 2025. While the West Zone don’t play until next month, when they play the semi-final, Gaikwad will still join his teammates to train for the tournament.
The West Zone selectors ignored CSK’s captain to lead the zonal side for the competition, and instead named Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur as the captain. Not just that, the selectors also overlooked domestic behemoths such as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as a new chapter begins in the West Zone’s history.
Maharashtra had named Ankit Bawane as the captain for the same reason, as Gaikwad was always only going to play the opening clash. Bawane will look to overturn Maharashtra’s fortunes after a disastrous outing against Chhattishgarh, where they suffered a 36-run loss.