Utkarsha Pawar outwits Ruturaj Gaikwad in entertaining nets challenge

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad recently took on a fun challenge with his wife, Utkarsha Pawar, in the practice nets outside the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The contest offered a refreshing moment after a difficult IPL 2026 campaign for the CSK skipper.

The challenge was simple where Utkarsha would bowl six deliveries, while Gaikwad had to predict and then score the number of runs he believed he could manage. Initially, Gaikwad jokingly claimed that he could score 36 runs in six balls, citing Utkarsha's injury concerns. His wife, however, was quick to dismiss the bold claim and set a far more realistic target of 10 runs from six deliveries.

Confident as ever, Gaikwad responded by saying that scoring 10 runs was something he did like peanuts every day on the cricket field. He then took guard in the nets and looked to back up his words with the bat.

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The challenge began with Gaikwad collecting singles off the first two deliveries. He added two runs from the third ball before asking Utkarsha to slow down her pace. On the fourth delivery, he swung hard through the leg side and managed another double. A single off the fifth ball brought him closer to the target, leaving him needing a strong finish on the final delivery. However, Utkarsha had the last laugh. She delivered an excellent final ball that beat Gaikwad, ensuring he fell short of the target and lost the challenge.

Gaikwad's IPL 2026 season was a disappointing one both personally and as captain. Leading CSK, he managed 337 runs in 14 matches at an average of 28.08, while the five-time champions finished eighth in the points table.

The 29-year-old is currently part of the India A squad for the ODI tri-series involving Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Reports also suggest that Gaikwad could earn a place in India's ODI squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who is reportedly sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL final. In nine ODI appearances for India, Gaikwad has scored 228 runs, including one century and one half-century.