Ruturaj Gaikwad, a skilled Indian batsman who leads Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, has grabbed attention by tying a major record in India's top domestic 50-over event.
Only a few days after getting left out of India's team for the upcoming ODIs against New Zealand, he hit his 15th century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. On Thursday, while playing for Maharashtra versus Goa, Gaikwad came to bat at position number five and made an unbeaten 134 runs off 131 balls. He struck eight boundaries and six big sixes, helping his side post 249 for seven wickets in their 50 overs.
This fine innings now matches the highest number of centuries ever scored in Vijay Hazare Trophy history, a record that his own Maharashtra teammate Ankit Bawne held alone before. Bawne needed 94 innings to get to 15 tons, but Gaikwad did it quicker in just 59 innings, proving his sharp form in limited-overs cricket.
In that very match, Bawne opened at number three but sadly got dismissed without scoring any run, leaving Gaikwad as the standout performer for Maharashtra with the highest score.
At 28 years old, Gaikwad is shining bright this season with his second century so far the first one was against Uttarakhand. This effort lifts his List A career stats to 20 centuries in only 95 innings and more than 5,000 runs total.
His average now stands at an amazing 58.83, leading the world for batsmen with over 50 innings better than even Australia's famous finisher Michael Bevan at 57.86. Even India's ODI greats like Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Sourav Ganguly, and MS Dhoni have scored fewer centuries in this tournament despite their long careers and big achievements.
Gaikwad missed the India squad pick despite making his very first ODI hundred against South Africa back in December 2025 while batting at number four in Raipur. Selectors brought back fit vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and picked others instead, which has led to some talk among fans and experts.
Well-known cricketer R Ashwin spoke about Gaikwad's strengths against spin bowling, his smart running between the wickets, and his ability to close out games. He wondered if Rishabh Pant got the nod ahead of him in the middle order.
Right behind Gaikwad and Bawne on the centuries list are players from Karnataka Devdutt Padikkal with 14 in 35 innings and Mayank Agarwal with 13. Both are in top shape during this Vijay Hazare season, with Padikkal already smashing four centuries.
The three-match ODI series between India and New Zealand kicks off on January 11 in Vadodara, then moves to Rajkot on January 14, and ends in Indore on January 18. All games start at 1:30 PM IST. Gaikwad's strong show in domestic cricket keeps hopes alive for his fast comeback to the national team.