India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to bolster Yorkshire’s cricket squad as he signs on for the County Championship and One-Day Cup later this year. The 28-year-old top-order batsman will be available from late July, starting with the match against Surrey in Scarborough, and will remain until the season concludes. He will also participate in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
Gaikwad, currently featuring in the India A team touring England, has played six ODIs and 23 T20Is for India. With an impressive first-class average of 41.77, including seven centuries, he demonstrates even more prowess in List A matches, averaging 56.15 with 16 centuries.
“I’m excited to be joining up with Yorkshire for the rest of the English domestic season,” Gaikwad expressed. “It has always been a goal of mine to experience cricket in this country and there is no bigger club in England than Yorkshire. I know how important it is that I hit the ground running at what will be a crucial part of the season. We have some vital games in the County Championship and the One-Day Cup is a great opportunity to win some silverware.”
Having captained the Chennai Super Kings, Gaikwad has been out of the action due to an elbow injury since early April, which kept him out of the IPL.
Yorkshire’s head coach, Anthony McGrath, shared his enthusiasm about the signing: “I’m extremely pleased to see Ruturaj sign with us for the second half of the season. He is a very accomplished cricketer with a natural all-round game that is well suited to the cricket we want to play.”
Gavin Hamilton, Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket, added, “Ruturaj has a proven record in all formats and is a multi-faceted cricketer that will strengthen us greatly in the second half of the season. Everyone at Yorkshire CCC is excited by Ruturaj’s signing and we look forward to welcoming him in July.”
Gaikwad’s addition to Yorkshire is seen as a strategic move, aimed at bringing solidity and versatility to the team’s batting line-up, enhancing their chances in the back half of the season.
