Three openers Chennai can try if Ruturaj Gaikwad is unavailable for first few games of Indian T20 League
Ambati Rayadu (Image Credit : Twitter)
Chennai opener Ruturaj Gaikwad might not play the first game of the tournament against Kolkata. The last year’s Orange Cap winner suffered a wrist injury during a net session ahead of the first T20I against Sri Lanka last month. The injury didn’t just rule him out of the game but the entire series. He has been a pillar of the batting line-up of the Yellow Army since making his debut in 2020.
From 2020 to 2021, he grew in stature while opening the batting with the likes of Shane Watson (now retired) and Faf Du Plessis (signed by Bangalore this year). In the last few games previous year, he opened the batting with Robin Uthappa. In this listicle, we will discuss the three names who might open the innings with Uthappa in the absence of Gaikwad.
Three players who can open the innings in Gaikwad’s absence
Ambati Rayadu
The Guntur-born player can be an option to open the innings for the defending champions. This won’t be the first time he will open the innings for the franchise in the ITL. In 2018, when the Yellow Brigade won the trophy, the right-hander amassed 602 runs in 16 games, averaging 43 with the highest score of 100 not out. He also hit three fifties and had a strike rate of 149.75 in the season. The 36-year-old can be a top contender, given his numbers while opening the batting.
