Indian Premier League: Michael Hussey calls Ruturaj Gaikwad “one of the smartest players”

Chennai: Michael Hussey, the Chennai Super Kings’ batting coach, was all in praise of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s scintillating 98 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, saying the right-handed opener is one of the smartest players currently as he assesses the conditions so well.

On a dry pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Gaikwad fell two runs short of becoming the second batter to hit back-to-back IPL centuries. But he was solid in hitting 10 fours and three sixes at a strike-rate of 181.48 in his 54-ball knock of 98, earning him the Player of the Match award. He also shared a crucial 107-run stand with Daryl Mitchell, who made 52, his first IPL fifty.

“I think he is one of the smartest players going around and he assesses the conditions so well. He even said to me ‘It’s a shame we’re not playing in Kolkata or it’s a shame we’re not playing in Delhi.’ Maybe in those particular grounds if he assesses the conditions, he might think about going aerial early.

“But perhaps here, when he takes a little bit of time to get settled on the pitch - it has certainly shown a few times here that with the brand new ball it has stuck a little bit on the pitch and then as the dew comes, that’s when the seam becomes softer and it can skid on - that’s when he can increase his strike-rate after,” said Hussey in the post-match press conference. (IANS)

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