"Rutu Thala ku Whistlepodu" - Fans erupt as Ruturaj Gaikwad hits 108* in CSK vs LSG match of IPL 2024

Chennai Super Kings (CKS) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad starred with the bat in the team's IPL 2024 encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

After being asked to bat first, CSK were off to a shaky start, with Ajinkya Rahane back in the hut early. However, Gaikwad delivered an exceptional knock to put his team in a commanding position.

The right-handed batter countered LSG bowlers with great aplomb. Gaikwad notched up the second century of his IPL career, remaining unbeaten on 108 in 60 balls, which included three sixes and 12 fours.

It is worth mentioning that Ruturaj Gaikwad became the first CSK captain to hit a ton in the league's history. The 27-year-old earned widespread praise on social media for his batting exploits.

Here are some of the top reactions:

Several fans praised Gaikwad for leading CSK from the front in the crucial contest, with one even giving him a new moniker.

"After Thala, Chinna Thala, it's #RUTU THALA# for Ruturaj Gaikwad. Nick name for Ruturaj - RUTU THALA What u all think?? Rutu Thala ku Whistlepodu." wrote a fan.

"Well played, Rutu! This was how we expected you to play for CSK: playing sensibly until the 10th over and then accelerating in the death overs. A well-deserved 100, captain!" wrote another.

"What an inning Bhau ! Future of Indian Cricket Team. Many more centuries to come." chimed in yet another.

A few Team India supporters also urged the selectors to pick Gaikwad in the squad for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.

"Century with Chepauk with 190 SR that too after falling of top order. Ruturaj Gaikwad is india's greatest young opener right now > He should be in for T20 World Cup 2024..As wickets in USA almost similar to chepauk (Slow sluggish). He will do wonders for India." commented a user.

"Well played Ruturaj Gaikwad. It’s quite strange that Gold medal winning captain of Team India at Asian Games, is not even being talked about as a contender for opening slot at T20 World Cup 2024. Not by any cricket experts." wrote a fan.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube shared a stunning 104-run stand for the fourth wicket, helping CSK finish at 210/4 in 20 overs. While Gaikwad scored 108*, Dube contributed 66 off just 27 balls.

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"His class is on a different level" - Shivam Dube on Ruturaj Gaikwad

Speaking in a mid-innings interview, Shivam Dube lauded Ruturaj Gaikwad for his wonderful batting performance. He also mentioned that he decided to up the ante after realizing that the CSK captain was exhausted and needed some time to recover.

Dube told the host broadcasters:

"Especially the support from the crowd is amazing. We love to play in Chennai. All grounds are like home grounds but this is what pushes me a little more. Rutu needed 1 over to recover after playing for a long time so I decided to take the bowler on. We have scored a lot of runs, we are 10-15 runs above par. We definitely need to bowl well but we have got 10 runs more. Enjoyed a lot when Rutu bats, his class is on a different level."

Ruturaj Gaikwad is now only behind Virat Kohli in the Orange Cap list. He has amassed 349 runs from eight outings at a strike rate of 142.44.