"My mindset has always been to finish games" - Ruturaj Gaikwad shares chats with MS Dhoni on finishing ahead of IND vs NZ 2021 series 

IPL 2021 Orange Cap winner Ruturaj Gaikwad has said that he's always had the mindset of a "finisher" irrespective of his batting position.

In an interview with The Times of India, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener was asked about his shift from middle order to opening the innings in the IPL.

In reply, Ruturaj Gaikwad said he only needed "a few adjustments" as the mindset remained constant. He also revealed advice from his skipper and arguably India's best finisher, MS Dhoni, on the skill and how openers can also be finishers.

Ruturaj Gaikwad said:

"I have always been focused on finishing games. I am used to that mindset. But the bottom line is I always try to keep things simple. I made a few small adjustments in my batting according to the situation and it came off well. In fact, there were one or two games when Dhoni came up to me and told me that when I have the game in my control, I must try and finish it. It’s not that an opener should play for only 10-12 overs. I had a discussion with him saying that my mindset has always been to finish the game."

MS Dhoni's impact on Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't been limited to just finishing skills. The 24-year-old also talked about the former India captain's "pep talk" that helped him recover from a rocky debut for CSK in IPL 2020 to be the leading run-getter in IPL 2021. Ruturaj Gaikwad added:

"I couldn’t score much but Dhoni bhai gave me a pep talk. He told me that I "need not worry about my place in the side". He said it was harsh on me and they (CSK management) know the talent I have and how I have been performing in domestic cricket. He asked me to enjoy playing for CSK. Those words gave me confidence and showed me the faith my captain and my franchise had in me. It helped calm my nerves because I understood that Dhoni is backing me. So I began enjoying my time on the field and batted with freedom. It got the best out of me. Coming into this IPL, I had a lot of confidence in my abilities, although I didn’t think I would win the Orange Cap."

Classy right-hander Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 635 runs from 22 innings in IPL 2021 at an average of 45.36, striking at 132.13. His partnership with Faf du Plessis at the top provided some much-needed flair to an orthodox batting lineup and was instrumental in winning CSK its fourth IPL title.

"I am ready to adapt" - Ruturaj Gaikwad ahead of New Zealand T20Is

Ruturaj Gaikwad's mindset and IPL experience will come in handy if he gets selected in the playing XI against New Zealand in the upcoming T20I series.

He might have to once again shunt to the middle order, with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul being India's designated openers. But the youngster isn't too worried about it, saying he's not thinking too much and is "ready to adapt."

"I have not thought about my batting position in the Indian team. But as a professional, I am ready to adapt. I want to focus on things that are under my control. Cementing my place will only happen when I get opportunities and play well. These things depend on a lot of parameters and strategy, and I don’t really think about that."

The first of three T20Is will be played on Wednesday, starting at 7:00 IST in Jaipur.