Ruturaj Gaikwad Scripts History In Vijay Hazare Trophy, Sets New World Record In List A Cricket

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Ruturaj Gaikwad delivered yet another masterclass in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but this time, his knock carried historic significance. The Maharashtra captain struck a magnificent unbeaten 134 off 131 balls in his team's final league match at the Dr Soni Stadium in Jaipur, rewriting a world record that had stood unchallenged for two decades.

With this innings, Gaikwad now boasts the highest batting average in the history of List A cricket, surpassing Australian legend Michael Bevan. List A cricket includes all 50-over matches played globally-both domestic and international-and Gaikwad's dominance in this format continues to be extraordinary.

The right-hander has accumulated 5050 runs in just 95 List A innings, maintaining a jaw-dropping average of 58.72, alongside a tally of 20 hundreds and 19 fifties. Such consistency is rare in modern-day cricket, yet Gaikwad has achieved it while playing fewer matches compared to some of the game's biggest names.

Bevan, widely regarded as the gold standard in ODI finishing, held the record with an average of 57.86 across 385 innings. Gaikwad's surge past the Australian stalwart highlights the exceptional quality and reliability he brings to the 50-over format.

Despite this, Gaikwad's appearances in India's ODI setup remain sporadic. Even after scoring a brilliant century in the home series against South Africa recently, he was excluded from the squad for the upcoming New Zealand ODIs. But performances like the one against Goa will only intensify the selectors' dilemma going forward.

Maharashtra needed every bit of Gaikwad's brilliance on Thursday. The side was left reeling at 25/5, and soon after at 52/6, in what seemed like a disastrous collapse. But Gaikwad stood firm, showcasing calmness, maturity, and impeccable shot selection to rebuild the innings. His unbeaten 134 carried Maharashtra to a competitive total of 249/7 after 50 overs-a score that looked improbable when the top order fell apart.

As Gaikwad continues to dominate List A cricket with unmatched consistency, the question now is not whether he deserves more opportunities for India, but how long the selectors can keep him waiting.