IPL 2021: “Our expectations have always been very high” - Stephen Fleming sums up Ruturaj Gaikwad's fantastic hundred

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming has stated that he wasn't surprised with Ruturaj Gaikwad’s wonderful batting effort on Saturday against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Although CSK went down to RR by seven wickets in Match 47 of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) in Abu Dhabi, Gaikwad was named the Player of the Match for his stupendous 101 not out off 60 balls.

According to Fleming, the franchise knew all along the kind of talent Gaikwad possesses, which the rest of the cricketing fraternity is also spotting now.

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“It was a magnificent innings. It is not often that you have a centurion in your side and you come away with a loss. We will be a bit flat around that but the team will celebrate an individual performance that was of high class,” Fleming said at a post-match virtual conference.

On the 24-year-old’s progress over the last couple of seasons, the CSK coach added that everyone in the think-tank is extremely proud of his achievements.

“It’s another continuation of the young man’s journey. Our expectations have always been very high. Others are just starting to realize why we have such high regard for him. We are really proud of him and are really pleased with his progress. The way he is playing is outstanding,” Fleming stated.

Gaikwad’s hundred featured nine fours and five sixes. He reached his hundred with a maximum off the last ball of CSK’s innings, dispatching Mustafizur Rahaman over the ropes. However, RR chased down the target of 190 with ease as Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 off 21) and Shivam Dube (64 not out off 42) came out all guns blazing.

“When I didn't get a chance, got to learn a lot being in the dressing room” - Ruturaj Gaikwad

At the halfway stage, CSK would have been confident of defending a target of 190. But the way Jaiswal started put Chennai on the back foot and they could not recover from that point.

Speaking after the game, Gaikwad admitted that it was disappointing to end up on the losing side despite scoring a hundred.

“Didn't dream of a 100, aim was to make sure we get to 160-170. Would've loved to be on the winning side, maybe next time,” he said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Reflecting on his rise in CSK ranks, Gaikwad revealed that he learnt a lot while he was not in the playing XI for the franchise.

“...My selection in CSK in 2019 when I didn't get a chance, being in the dressing room, I got to learn a lot. Got to know routines, hard work needed, work to put in. That was a good learning curve,” he explained.

Gaikwad also became the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2021 following his hundred on Saturday. He now has 508 runs to his name from 12 games at a strike rate of 140.33.