Ruturaj Gaikwad smashes maiden international century; becomes first Indian to score T20I hundred against Australia

Gaikwad reached his hundred in 52 balls with a six off Glenn Maxwell in the 20th over of India’s innings. The Pune-born batter became the first Indian to score a T20I century against the mighty Aussies.

India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad plays a shot against Australia during the third T20I International in Guwahati on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: AFP

India opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed his maiden international hundred during the third T20I against Australia at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Gaikwad reached his hundred in 52 balls with a six off Glenn Maxwell in the 20th over of India’s innings. He hammered another two sixes and two fours after getting to his hundred as Maxwell conceded 30 runs off the last over to help India post a mammoth 222 for three in 20 overs.

The Pune-born batter became the first Indian to score a T20I century against the mighty Aussies. His 52-ball hundred was the seventh fastest by an Indian in T20 Internationals.

Gaikwad’s highest score before Tuesday was 71 in the 20 ODIs and T20Is combined that he has played since his international debut in 2021.

The right-hander now has five centuries in T20 cricket, which includes one in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings in the 2021 season. Gaikwad has also scored three hundreds for Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 20-over domestic tournament.