Last Update on: September 27th, 2023 at 03:38 pm
Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim talked about Ruturaj Gaikwad being seen as a future captaincy prospect. He said that BCCI picking him as a skipper for the Asian Games indicates that he’s considered a three-format player by the team management for the future.
Saba Karim in interaction with the Times of India said that Ruturaj Gaikwad has shown leadership qualities in the domestic circuit. He also added that the young batter is the only player in the Asian Games squad team, who captains his state team.
Saba Karim also believes that the upcoming Asian Games will be an opportunity for Ruturaj Gaikwad to showcase his leadership skills. He remarked that selectors also will have a keen eye. The former Indian selector elaborated:
“The moment you pick a youngster like Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain it means that the selectors, maybe not now, but two or three years down the line are looking at him like that. Right now, Ruturaj Gaikwad is singled out as a player who can play all three formats. He has done that as well for his state Maharashtra. He has shown some very good leadership qualities while leading Maharashtra in the domestic matches that were held last season.
That is why selectors have chosen him to lead the side because the rest of the players are all youngsters and I don’t think all of them have led their state side. So, this is a perfect opportunity for Ruturaj as well as the selectors to have a closer look at him in terms of leadership qualities.”
Ruturaj Gaikwad has been one of the best youngsters in India. He has been part of the senior Indian team for a while now and his experience surely would be handy for the team in the big tournament, which will take place in T20 format. He has scored truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit as well as the IPL.
Both Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma have a different dimension – Saba Karim on potential replacement for Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina
Saba Karim was further asked if Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma could bring in the option that Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina used to do with both bat and ball. Replying to this, he pointed out the difference between the two all-rounders.
Saba Karim believes that selectors are now bringing in batters who can chip in with the ball as well. He said that although both Tilak and Shivam and different, they have defined roles. He added:
“Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube have a different dimension altogether. Tilak comes in at 3 or 4 and can bowl handy off-spin which he has done in the recent past. But more than Tilak and Shivam, I look at Rinku Singh. I look at Rinku Singh as a middle-order batsman. Although he doesn’t roll his arm over. Shivam comes in at 6 or 7.
“So, I think selectors have created a profile for both these players – Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube. Tilak is a top-order batsman who can bowl right-arm off-spin.
“Shivam is a left-handed power-hitting batsman who comes in at 5, 6, or maybe 7 and who can bowl right arm medium pace. Their roles are pretty well defined. There is a huge difference between these two profiles,” he concluded.
