Ruturaj Gaikwad's Wife Utkarsha Pawar Determined To Continue Cricket Journey Post-Marriage!

Add as a preferred source on Google

Mumbai, Aug 7: Utkarsha Pawar, the wife of Ruturaj Gaikwad and a pace bowler from Maharashtra, has expressed her determination to continue pursuing her cricket career even after marriage.

In an interview with the Marathi cricket podcast 'Coffee, Cricket Aani Barach Kaahi', Utkarsha emphasized that she will play cricket for as long as she desires and as long as her physical condition allows.

"In a freewheeling interaction, the right-arm Maharashtra pacer said, "I will continue to play cricket for as long as I wish and as long as my body allows me. One can be 200 per cent sure about it, not just 100 per cent."

Since their wedding on June 3 in Pune, Utkarsha has been making headlines for reasons beyond the cricket field. However, she remains unfazed by such attention and remains focused on her career.

Support from the family to play cricket

Despite concerns raised by outsiders about how marriage may affect her professional prospects, Utkarsha revealed that both her family and Ruturaj's family are fully supportive of her aspirations. She also acknowledged the backing of their relatives.

Utkarsha - who is in the West Indies with her cricketer husband as Ruturaj is part of the men's national team in the Caribbean - said, "I am repeatedly asked about my career now that I am married. Not from the family but only the outsiders seem to be worried about it. My family is supportive. Ruturaj's family is extremely supportive, our relatives are also supportive... but the question does come up from the outsiders."

"I have the full support of my parents, husband Ruturaj Gaikwad and my in-laws. I will continue to play cricket as long as I wish and as long as I can since my life revolves around cricket," the 24-year-old added further.

Utkarsha's impressive record in List A and T20 matches further solidifies her confidence in continuing to excel in cricket. With 28 wickets in 39 List A games and 26 scalps in 45 T20 games since making her senior inter-state debut for Maharashtra in the 2015-16 season, she believes there is no reason to worry about her future.

Utkarsha idolises Zaheer Khan

When asked about who inspired her to pursue fast bowling, Utkarsha mentioned Zaheer Khan as a childhood idol. Although she admires his left-handed style while being right-handed herself, she was determined to emulate his speed and technique. Her father recognized this passion at a young age and took her to Anwar Shaikh for coaching sessions. Additionally, she received guidance from Santosh Jedhe during net practice sessions.

Utkarsha said, "When I was a kid, I used to idolise Zaheer Khan. I wanted to run in fast just like him and bowl as fast as I could. Of course, the minor blip is I am right-handed and he was a left-handed bowler.

"Seeing my desire to bowl fast, my father took me to Anwar Shaikh, who honed my bowling skills and I also went to the nets where Santosh Jedhe, former Maharashtra captain, used to coach players."

Cricket wasn't the only sport Utkarsha tried during her upbringing; swimming, badminton, and football were also part of her repertoire. However, she eventually realized that cricket was her true calling. She even gave up Kathak dancing when her teacher advised her to avoid physical activities that could potentially harm her delicate personality.

Meeting MSD and the big CSK family

Utkarsha also shared a memorable experience of meeting the legendary MS Dhoni, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, before the business end of the IPL 2023. Despite Dhoni's aura and stature in the cricketing world, Utkarsha found him to be incredibly humble and down-to-earth.

She described his sense of humour and ability to create a comfortable atmosphere for everyone around him. Utkarsha expressed gratitude for being treated like family during their two-month journey on the road.

"Mahendra Singh Dhoni's aura is something different. When you are meeting him, you end up calling him sir... But he is so humble and down to earth, it's unbelievable. I got an opportunity to meet him properly after the final. He has a great sense of humour and tries to keep the atmosphere light around him. He treats everyone like a family. We were on the road for two months or so but he always made us feel at home," Utkarsha signed off.