An Oddsworth Opinion
Is Ruturaj Gaikwad really costing Chennai Super Kings runs at the top?
On 5 May against Delhi Capitals, Ruturaj Gaikwad used up 13 balls for six runs. Innings like that are the whole case against him: his dot balls stall the top of the order and leave Chennai Super Kings short of the 200 that good pitches now demand.
On tempo, the case holds up. Over the last two years in men's T20s, Gaikwad has scored at a strike rate of 128.5, against 132.8 for top-seven batters in the same period. His average of 23.38 sits just under the benchmark of 24.01, which means he has been a little slower than the typical top-order batter without making extra runs to pay for it.
How far has Gaikwad fallen from his best?
Further in runs than in pace. Across his whole T20 career he averages 38.23 at a strike rate of 139.3, so the sharpest drop in the last two years has come in how long he stays in, with his scoring rate slipping by much less.
Paradoxically, that weakens the charge of dot-ball pressure. A batter who scores slowly but bats deep can still set up a 200; Gaikwad's recent trouble is that the slow starts too often end before he can cash in.
His last IPL season showed both versions of him. He made 74 not out against Gujarat Titans and 67 not out against Mumbai Indians, the innings of an opener who carries a total. He also made 15 off 21 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, an opener stuck at the crease while the overs ran away.
Career average 38.2Not out
Is Ruturaj Gaikwad a liability for CSK?
No. Our IPL batting ratings place him 74th of 147, worth about two runs a match more than an average batter: a middle-of-the-pack opener, which is a measure of how far the bar has risen at the top of IPL orders. His touch has not deserted him in longer cricket either, with an unbeaten Ranji Trophy hundred for Maharashtra this month.
So the charge of liability fails, and the charge of slowness stands, though only just. Gaikwad is a sound T20 batter whose runs still earn him a place, but on two years of evidence he is the wrong man to set the pace for a side that needs 200. CSK should keep his runs in the order and hand the job of setting the tempo to someone else.