"No one is talking about him but they should" - Aakash Chopra on CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad's place in India's T20 WC squad after IPL century vs LSG

Aakash Chopra reckons Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad should be in contention for a place in India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad.

Gaikwad scored an unbeaten 108 off 60 deliveries as CSK set the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) a 211-run target in an IPL 2024 clash in Chennai on Tuesday, April 23. The visitors chased the target down with six wickets and three deliveries to spare to move above their opponents into the fourth position on the points table.

Reflecting on CSK's batting in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Gaikwad for scoring an enterprising century and opined that he should be in the selectors' thoughts for the T20 World Cup.

"When Chennai got to bat first, Ruturaj scored a century. The question is whether he should be taken for the T20 World Cup. Think about it. No one is talking about him but they should. Why not? He recently scored a century against Australia and has also scored a century here. In fact, he is the first Chennai captain to score a hundred," he said (2:30).

The former India batter noted that the CSK opener played a meticulous knock and couldn't have done anything more.

"He was absolutely outstanding. Some things in cricket haven't changed for 150 years. If you can drive well and your technique is good, playing the ball on its merit will never go out of fashion. Fashions will keep changing but this is retro. This will always be there and forever," Chopra observed.

"He ran at a strike rate of 180. He played shots all around the park. He couldn't have scored more runs than this. He couldn't have taken the team to a bigger total as well. 230 wasn't possible as that much dew wasn't there at the start. The ball was getting slightly stuck at the start," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

Gaikwad struck 12 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten century. He added 104 runs for the fourth wicket with Shivam Dube to ensure that CSK set a challenging target for LSG.

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"I am saying book his ticket because he is batting differently" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube smoked 66 runs off 27 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra feels Shivam Dube should be a certainty in India's T20 World Cup squad.

"Shivam Dube - I am saying book his ticket because he is batting differently. He hits spin. In fact, no one brings spin in front of him. Everyone is scared that Shivam has come and will hit. KL Rahul bowled only four overs of spin. He hit fast bowlers as well, hit them decently and very far as well," he reasoned (3:35).

"He hit some balls so far that it seemed like they might have to be brought back with a taxi. Shivam Dube should be going to the West Indies without a shadow of doubt. 210 were scored, which is not bad. Dhoni came for one ball and hit a four," Chopra added.

Dube has smashed 311 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 169.94 in eight innings in IPL 2024. Only Ruturaj Gaikwad (349) has scored more runs for CSK this season.