IPL 2021: "I will put him now in the KL Rahul category"- Brian Lara on Ruturaj Gaikwad

Former West Indies batsman Brian Lara was hugely impressed with the complete show of batsmanship that young Ruturaj Gaikwad displayed. This was during his record-breaking maiden ton against the Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi on Saturday (October 2).

Gaikwad's knock was the ideal template for how a top-order batsman should convert his start into a big knock. He scored his first 30 runs in 29 balls but shifted gears in the middle and final overs to rack up a memorable ton.

Speaking to Star Sports, Lara said he was hugely impressed with the manner in which Ruturaj Gaikwad went about building his knock.

He said:

"Yeah, he could have been 135 if he had got more strike in the end overs. But it was a complete show of batsmanship. That's what I like about him, seeing how he put that innings together, how he surged in the second half of the innings. He was just tremendous to watch,"

Gaikwad was once again at his sumptuous best on Saturday as the young opener unleashed his strokeplay into all corners of the ground. If his inside-out shots against both spinners and pacers were imperious, the pull shots against anything near his eye-line were authoritative.

The right-hander smoked a 108 m six over square leg off the last delivery of the innings to bring up his maiden IPL ton.

"It was just remarkable and unbelievable"- Brian Lara on Ruturaj Gaikwad's knock

One of the many aspects of Ruturaj's game that has impressed fans as well as pundits, including Lara, is the textbook shots that the right-hander employs to great effect in T20 cricket.

Heaping further praise on the youngster, Lara went on to put 24-year-old in the same league as KL Rahul.

"He shows that you can play good cricket shots and still score big runs. And that's what I am proud of as a batsman. It was just remarkable and unbelievable," said Lara.

"I will put him now in the KL Rahul category." he added.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is now the leading run-scorer in the ongoing season and the proud record-holder of the 'Orange Cap'.

In 12 games thus far, he has smashed 508 runs at an average of 50.8 and a strike rate of 140.33 with four 50+ scores which includes an unbeaten hundred.