It has been a good learning curve for me: Ruturaj Gaikwad

Team India opener Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that his international career has started progressively, and he hopes to continue it similarly.

Talking about his cricketing journey so far before the start of the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin, Gaikwad said that so far, it has been a learning curve for him as playing with top players has helped him improve his game.

"It has been a good learning curve for me. Representing India at the top most level is what you want to do. You learn a lot playing with top players, so it has been good till now; hopefully, it will continue. It (career) has been really progressive. That is what I want as an individual and a professional player. So I hope that I continue," Ruturaj Gaikwad told broadcasters ahead of the first T20I against Ireland.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has been appointed as the team captain for the ongoing two-match T20I series against Ireland. Ruturaj said Hardik has been doing the job well as his new captain and is excited to play under his leadership. He also spoke about the challenge of playing in Ireland.

"Hardik (Pandya) has been captaining really well for his IPL side, and excited to play under him in these conditions. It's challenging (to bat here), but it's an opportunity to play 20 overs as well," Gaikwad said.

"Really good to be here (Ireland). Many of them back home come here to play club cricket. Interesting to play in this country. The preparation went really well; I just came here to get acclimatized and have a small hit," he further said.

Ruturaj made his international debut last year against Sri Lanka on their home turf and has so far featured in nine T20Is in which he has scored 135 runs at an average of 16.9 and a strike rate of 123.8, including just a solitary fifty in the blue jersey.

The 25-year-old talented opening batter has been picked for the T20I series against Ireland, and he managed to get a place in the playing XI in the first match despite a poor series with the bat in the home T20Is against South Africa. 

He was slated to open the batting with Ishan Kishan but didn't come on to bat, and Deepak Hooda opened the innings alongside Ishan Kishan. After the game, skipper Pandya revealed the reason as to why Gaikwad didn't come to open the innings. Pandya said that Gaikwad had a calf niggle, and they wanted to give him rest as a player's health is the top-most priority for India.