Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed his first ODI century today in Raipur, a brilliant 105-run knock off 83 balls, powering India to a formidable 358. Despite his stellar performance, featuring 12 fours and 2 sixes, the match ended in disappointment for India as South Africa achieved a record-equalling successful chase to win the game and tie the series. This outcome highlights a peculiar ‘century jinx’ that seems to follow Gaikwad. His milestones in top-level cricket, including his maiden T20I century (an unbeaten 123 against Australia) and two centuries in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, have all unfortunately occurred in matches that India or CSK ultimately lost. This statistical anomaly is a talking point, as Gaikwad’s individual brilliance has yet to translate into a team victory on these occasions. He will be aiming to break this trend in upcoming fixtures.
