Raipur Century: A Milestone Forged in Kohli's Shadow
On December 3, 2025, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Ruturaj Gaikwad carved out a significant piece of his cricketing destiny. The 28-year-old batter scored his maiden One-Day International century, a blistering 105 runs off just 83 balls, in the second ODI against South Africa. Yet, the defining narrative of his innings was woven in a near-200-run partnership with the maestro, Virat Kohli. While the crowd's chants largely celebrated Kohli, Gaikwad was absorbing a masterclass in building an innings, a lesson that could prove vital for his future in the national team.
The Apprentice and the Master: Lessons in the Middle
Gaikwad, no stranger to thriving under legendary figures after his rise at Chennai Super Kings under MS Dhoni, candidly admitted the gulf in class was evident. Where Kohli manipulated the field with risk-free precision, Gaikwad experienced early struggles. He faced a stern examination from South Africa's tall pacer, Marco Jansen, who tested him with steep, rib-tickling deliveries from the very first ball. One such lifter even flew off his gloves for a fortuitous six.
The young opener revealed the crucial mid-overs discussions with Kohli focused on maneuvering gaps, rotating strike, and strategic boundary-hitting. "In one-dayers, a lot of experience is required on how to play those middle overs. You can see Virat bhai doing it for so many years," Gaikwad said post-match. He acknowledged the challenge of adapting to the ODI rhythm, which demands more nuance than the constant aggression of T20 cricket.
Beyond the Century: The Steep Climb Ahead
Despite the joyous moment of raising his bat to a cheering Raipur crowd, the century is merely a foothold in a much steeper climb. Gaikwad's place in India's ODI setup is under constant threat from a pool of formidable talents like Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma, and even from the enduring greatness of Kohli himself. His hundred keeps him in contention for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, but securing a regular spot in the playing XI will be a tougher challenge than his ascent at CSK.
The innings itself was a tale of two halves. After a scratchy start filled with close shaves, he truly blossomed after reaching his fifty. A beautiful inside-out drive against spinner Keshav Maharaj signaled his arrival, followed by a series of sweeps, lofts, and pulls that dismantled the bowler's plans. He then took apart Gerald Coetzee to reach the three-figure mark, a transformation Kohli acknowledged with a generous bear hug.
For Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Raipur century is a landmark achievement, but the real takeaway was the education received at the other end. As he competes for a permanent role, the lessons in building momentum, playing risk-free cricket, and handling pressure from the great Virat Kohli might be the most valuable runs he scored that day.
