Ruturaj

Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad Biography and Career

Ruturaj Gaikwad, born on January 31, 1997, in Pune, Maharashtra, is a right-handed batter. His father, Dasharath Gaikwad, worked with the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), and his mother, Sawita Gaikwad, is a teacher at a municipal school.

Ruturaj completed his schooling from two different schools - first the St. Joseph's Boys' High School in, and then the Lakashmibai Nadgude School.  He pursued higher studies at Marathvada Mitra Mandal's Polytechnic. At 13 years of age, he joined the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation's Varroc Dilip Vengsarkar Academy in Thergaon, Pune, where his journey to a professional cricketer began. 

Ruturaj represented Maharashtra in various age-group teams, including Under-16 and Under-19. He made his first-class debut for Maharashtra during the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season. His consistent performances in domestic cricket led to his selection for India A and India B teams. He was the third-highest run-scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2016-17, which brought him into the limelight. 

One of the turning points in his career came in December 2018, when he was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the base price of Rs 20 lakh. He made his IPL debut in 2020 and in the following season, he scored 635 runs in 16 matches, including a high score of 101*, which earned him the Orange Cap for being the leading run-scorer. CSK retained him for Rs 6 crore ahead of the 2022 season, and after consistently performing well for the franchise, he was handed over the captaincy in IPL 2024 after MS Dhoni decided to step down from the post. In his first season as CSK's captain, Ruturaj was unable to lead the team a spot in the playoffs, but will continue to be at the helm in the upcoming 2025 season. 

Ruturaj made his international debut for India in July 2021 against Sri Lanka. He has since represented India in both T20I and ODI formats. He also became the first Indian player to score a century against Australia in T20Is. 

Talking about his playing style, the opening batter plays both aggressive and defensive shots; his game revolves around a fluid technique.

Beyond cricket 

Ruturaj Gaikwad has an estimated net worth of approximately Rs 36 crore as of 2025. His income primarily stems from his IPL contract with CSK, match fees from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and various brand endorsements. The cricketer has been paid a whopping Rs 18 crore for the upcoming IPL 2025 season.

In June 2023, Ruturaj married his long-time girlfriend, Utkarsha Pawar, in Mahabaleshwar. Utkarsha too is a cricketer who plays as an all-rounder for the Maharashtra women's cricket team. She is a right-handed batter and a pace bowler.

Ruturaj Gaikwad Top records

Ruturaj Gaikwad IPL 

• Most runs in a single season (2021) - won the Orange Cap in 2021 for top scoring with 635 runs in 16 matches. 
• Youngest Orange Cap Recipient (2021): At 24 years old, he became the youngest player to receive the Orange Cap in IPL history. This record was later broken by a 23-year-old Shubman Gill in 2023. 
• First CSK captain to score 500 runs in a season (2024): he scored 509 runs in IPL 2024, the most by any CSK captain in a single season. 
• First CSK captain to score a century (2024): he surpassed former captain MS Dhoni's highest IPL score of 84 and scored a century in 2024. He also became the eighth captain in the IPL to score a century. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad T20Is

• Second-Highest Individual Score for India in T20Is (2023): On November 10, 2023, Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 123* against Australia in Guwahati. This stands as the second-highest individual score by an Indian in T20Is, following Shubman Gill's 126*. 
• First Indian to score a century against Australia (2023): Ruturaj's century against Australia is the highest by any batter against Australia in T20Is.