Indian cricketer Ruturaj Gaikwad is celebrating his birthday today as he turned 27. The Pune-born has been a stellar performer for CSK in the IPL, finishing as the leading run-getter in IPL 2021 season. After making waves in the IPL, he earned a call-up to the Indian cricket team, wherein he made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in 2021.

In the subsequent year, he made his ODI debut against South Africa. He has made 6 appearances in ODIs and 19 appearances in T20Is so far, scoring 115 and 500 runs in the respective formats. His ODI career didn’t kick off properly where he averages 19.2 and apparently, his chances of making the cut in the format look bleak.

On the contrary, he has been in and out of the T20 setup owing to stiff competition. With Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal operating as the opening pair, Gaikwad would have to wait in the wings. Let’s learn more about Ruturaj Gaikwad’s biography.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s life story

The Pune-born grew up in a nation where cricket is not just a sport but a religion. From a very tender age, when he was just 5 years old, he showed an immense passion for cricket, and he started playing leather ball cricket. Not many know that he went to watch a match between New Zealand and Australia in Pune’s Nehru Stadium back in 2003, which amplified his emotions for the sport.

Born on January 31, 1997, his life took a trajectory for the good when he joined Vengsarkar Cricket Academy at the age of 11, which helped him unlock his full potential. He put in hard work, grit and determination in the game, which saw him rise through the ranks, where he went on to play for Maharashtra U 14 and U16 teams.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is immensely grateful for Vengsarkar Cricket Academy which showed him the light at the end of the tunnel. “I would also like to thank my academy, Vengsarkar Cricket Academy, which is located in the PCMC (Pimpri-Chinchwad) area. I’ve been there since the last 9-10 years, right since the age of 11. They’ve always been supportive and encouraging. Even today, they oblige whenever I request them to let me practice,” Gaikwad once said.

He grabbed the headlines during his U 19 days, courtesy of his consistent performances in the 2014-15 Cooch Behar Trophy, where he finished as the second-highest scorer, accumulating 826 runs in 6 games with three centuries, and a half-century. In the subsequent seasons, he made giant strides for Maharashtra cricket team in domestic cricket.

One day all his hard work bore fruit after CSK bought him in the 2018 auction, which turned out to be a master stroke move. He scored 1797 runs in 52 appearances in IPL, smashing 1 century and 14 fifties.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s family

Ruturaj Gaikwad hails from a family of academic scholars. His father plies his trade as an officer in the Defence Research Development Organization whereas his mother works as a teacher in a municipal school. Brought up in a joint family environment, Gaikwad was surrounded by numerous cousins, none of whom were into the field of sports. Nonetheless, his family took extra efforts to shape him into the star cricketer he has become today.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s love life

Ruturaj Gaikwad got hitched to his long-time sweetheart Utkarsha Pawar in June 2023 in Mahabaleshwar. The duo has always kept their details and personal matters to themselves. After marriage, it was learnt that Gaikwad’s wife, Utkarsha played for Maharashtra in domestic cricket, making 39 List-A and 45 T20 appearances for the team. Earlier, there were rumours and widespread speculations of Gaikwad dating Marathi TV actress, Sayali Sanjeev. However, the cricketer put those speculations to rest after his marriage with his long-time beau.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s car collection

For cricketers who have relished fame and success, owning a luxury car is often seen as a marker of their achievements. While cricketers have a unique taste when it comes to choosing their cars, Gaikwad owns classy brands like BMW and Audi. These cars are synonymous with luxury, quality, and performance.

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Net Worth

As per the information sourced from various outlets, the CSK star's net worth is estimated to be around $4.3 million, which is Rs 36 crore in 2024. His source of income comes from his lucrative IPL contract, match fees from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and brand endorsements.