Raju Gaikwad

Career

Gaikwad is very comfortable on the ball and can easily fill in as a full back even though he is right-footed, and is a long throw specialist. Pailan Arrows

After spending time at Tata Football Academy Gaikwad signed for Pailan Arrows (then AIFF XI) in the I-League. He made his league debut for the club on 3 December 2010 against Prayag United at the Salt Lake Stadium which was also Pailan Arrows"s first ever game in the I-League.

Pailan lost 2–1.

East Bengal

In July 2011 Gaikwad signed for East Bengal after one season at Pailan and made his debut for the club on 4 February 2012 after missing the first few months of the season through injury. Mohun Bagan A.C. (before Christ)

Achievements

• Gaikwad made his debut for the India U23 on 23 February 2011 against Myanmar"s U23s in the 2012 Olympic Qualifiers. India U23 won 2–1. He then made his senior debut for India on 21 March 2011 in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers against Chinese Tapei at the MBPJ Stadium in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. India won 3–0. Gaikwad then won his first championship with India on 11 December 2011 when he helped India beat Afghanistan in the 2011 SAFF Cup. Gaikwad then went on to lead India to win the 2012 Nehru Cup when India managed to beat Cameroon"s B team on 2 September 2012 at the Nehru Stadium in the Indian capital, Delhi.