Ruturaj Gaikwad auditioned for a regular place in the Indian side with a fine show in Raipur on Wednesday. The CSK captain, batting at No.4 ahead of Rishabh Pant, repaid coach Gautam Gambhir's faith with a fine century batting alongside Virat Kohli. It was Gaikwad's maiden ODI century, coming in his 8th game in the format.

Ruturaj Gaikwad auditioned for a regular place in the Indian side with a fine show in Raipur on Wednesday. The CSK captain, batting at No.4 ahead of Rishabh Pant, repaid coach Gautam Gambhir's faith with a fine century batting alongside Virat Kohli. It was Gaikwad's second 50+ score in ODI cricket, coming in his 8th game in the format.

Gaikwad walked into bat with India in a spot of bother. The Men in Blue lost Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the powerplay with the CSK skipper joining Virat Kohli in the middle. After a few nervous deliveries to start off, Gaikwad settled into rhythm.

He rotated strike effectively and ran hard, while often plucking the boundary at regular interval. The 28-year-old ensured he did not add too much pressure on Virat and made up for his lost opportunity in the 1st ODI.

The highlight of his innings was his ability to maneuver the field. Ruturaj ensured he found gaps and brought out the sweeps and the flicks to good effect. Keshav Maharaj was effectively dealt with, as the CSK star accelerated after reaching his half-century. Gaikwad went from 50 to 100 in just 25 balls, in a masterclass in inning building at Raipur.

It is a timely knock from Gaikwad who aims to re-establish himself in the Indian white-ball team. Picked as a reserve opener, Gautam Gambhir opted to shuffle him into the middle order. The 28-year-old came into the series on the back of a productive India A series and has continued his form into India colours.

With Shreyas Iyer injured, Gaikwad has had a rare run in the India XI and he is making a strong case to remain part of the set up. Ruturaj's ability to bat at the top of the order and the middle could be a valuable asset in tournaments.