U-23 skipper Gaikwad prepares for senior role

Infact it was the fact that he was able to adapt to coaches advice that Gaikwad will admit changed his career for the better. Growing up in the Air India Colony in Santa Cruz,Mumbai he would initially play only in the center forward position in school. Air India coach Bimal Ghosh advised him to switch to the center back position,an area he immediately felt at home in.

Indeed Gaikwad,a Manchester United fan,counts defender Rio Ferdinand as his favourite player. But considering his almost superhuman long throws it could very well be Rory Delap of Stoke City. It was one very such long range hurl during the recent Olympic qualifiers in Doha that wreaked havoc in the Qatar defence,resulting in a loose ball that Jeje Lalpekhlua punted into the net at close range.

Unlike Delap who used to be a javelin thrower,Gaikwad says he doesn’t have any background in throwing. He says that while he does strength training,he doesn’t focus in particular on any aspect of his physique to better the throwing ability. “When I started playing at Santa Cruz I would always like to throw the ball. Bimal Ghosh would be coaching his Air India side there and seeing me do that on the sidelines,he encouraged me. I guess the fact that I worked on the skill from an early age has helped but I also think that this skill is God gifted,” he says.