Flamboyant all-rounder Rahul Tewatia has been in the limelight ever since he smashed five sixes off former Punjab bowler Sheldon Cottrell in the 18th over of an Indian T20 League match while playing for Rajasthan in Sharjah in 2020.

The southpaw scored 53 off 31 balls to help Rajasthan chase down a mammoth score of 224, which became the highest run chase in the history of Indian T20 League.

Tewatia has once again been in scintillating form for his new franchise Gujarat in the ongoing edition of Indian T20 League.

The star all-rounder clobbered two sixes off the final two deliveries of Punjab pacer Odean Smith to help the newcomers chase down 190 at the Brabourne Stadium. He later followed it up by forging a 49-run partnership with Rashid Khan to help Gujarat chase down 196 against Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium. Interestingly, the duo smashed 25 off Marco Jansen in the final over of the match to secure a five-wicket victory for Gujarat.

Shu vaat 'chhe' x 2�?a href="http://t.co/DiTB9e473X" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/DiTB9e473X

�?Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) April 8, 2022

Having been acquired by Gujarat for a whopping INR 9 crore in the Indian T20 League mega auction, Tewatia has completely justified his price tag by playing match-winning knocks.

The left-hander has amassed 136 runs in eight matches at an impressive strike rate of 158.14 while also maintaining a decent average of 34. 

In an exclusive chat with SportsAdda, Tewatia shared his thoughts regarding the close matches against Punjab and Hyderabad while also revealing the success mantra of Gujarat in Indian T20 League 2022.

Excerpts

• You have made it a habit of finishing close matches. How are you able to do it?

Rahul Tewatia: Firstly, match simulation at practice is a big part of my training regime. That helps you improve your skills and pick your opportunities to score. Secondly, when the captain and coaching staff show faith in your abilities, you get more confidence, which translates into performance.

• What is the secret to finishing such close matches?

Rahul Tewatia: There is no secret as such. It is crucial you back yourself in those situations and believe you can do it. When the opportunities present themselves, you must capitalise on them.

• Two sixes in two balls or 22 runs in the final over. Which finish was more enjoyable?

Rahul Tewatia: It is difficult to pick one as both are very close to my heart. The two sixes off the last two balls were extremely memorable and one that I will always cherish. When we were chasing 22 off the final over, just the whole moment with Rashid is something to remember.

• What was the discussion between you and Rashid Khan during the final over?

Rahul Tewatia: We backed ourselves to do it. We saw how runs were being scored on that pitch and realised that if we backed ourselves, we could do it. The main discussion between us was that it was possible to overhaul the 22 runs needed off the final over.

• Gujarat have been on a roll. What is the team doing right?

Rahul Tewatia: The great thing about our team is that different players have put their hands up and performed at different points in time. This shows how confident the unit is and how each player is ready to rise to the challenge whenever it comes his way.

• How is the experience of playing under captain Hardik?

Rahul Tewatia: Hardik has been very relaxed as a captain and has led the team exceptionally well. He has led from the front by example with some great performances, which automatically inspires the rest of the group. As a leader off the field, he has also devoted time to building a positive culture, which has been extremely important for our success so far. 

Author: Sandilya Garimella

Play fantasy cricket with SportsAdda. Create your team, track your progress and win prizes. Start here.

Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates from the world of sports!

Interested in cricket betting? Click here to check out the list of top sites.

Featured photo: Gujarat Titans

 

 

Swashbuckling batters Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Rahul Tewatia have earned their maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20I series against England in Ahmedabad.

The Chetan Sharma-headed selection panel made six changes to the squad that went to Australia, clinching the three-match T20I series 2-1 Down Under in December. While Sanju Samson and Mayank Agarwal have been dropped from the squad, Jasprit Bumrah was rested. On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Manish Pandey have been ruled out due to their respective injuries.

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant has been recalled to the T20I squad after having been dropped for the Australia tour, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes a return to international cricket after more than a year.

Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tewatia are selected for the first time as Varun Chakravarthy, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rishabh Pant all return for India's T20 side to face England in March #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/shjLDp34pS

�?ICC (@ICC) February 20, 2021

The trio of Ishan, Suryakumar and Tewatia have been rewarded for their performances in the latest edition of the Indian T20 League. Ishan had amassed the most runs for Mumbai, scoring 516 runs in 14 games including four fifties while Yadav accumulated 480 runs in 16 games for the champion side. While all-rounder Tewatia accumulated  255 runs and bagged 10 wickets in 14 games for Rajasthan.

Earlier in the day, Kishan hammered a 173-run knock off just 94 balls to help Jharkhand post the highest team score in the history of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kishan-led side posted a total of 422/9 in the allotted fifty overs against Madhya Pradesh in an Elite Group B match at the Holkar Stadium Indore. 

India's T20I squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

The first match of the five-match T20I series will be played on March 12 after the ongoing Test series concludes at the newly built Motera Stadium. Both the teams are gearing up for the third Test which commences on February 24.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/mipaltan

This is the seventh in a series of features where we will be taking a detailed dive into the various factors that stood out during the course of the Indian T20 League 2020 season.

We saw many of the usual suspects like KL Rahul, David Warner, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, etc., coming up with top-notch performances in the recently concluded Indian T20 League. All of them have been consistent performers in the tournament over the years and it was not surprising to see them stepping up once again.

"We knew once the stage was set for the Indian T20 League to unfold at Dubai, that there would be some unexpected displays of brilliance," said Brett Lee. "Rajasthan's Rahul Tewatia was certainly one of those players, as he rose to the occasion more than once and became one of the most talked-about players of the tournament. Then there was Lockie Ferguson who worked some magic with the ball for Kolkata, and Chris Morris, another revelation. It's these surprising showings that keep the sport fresh and unpredictable in my book."

However, they were not the only players who dominated the headlines this season. In fact, there were many players who came up with stellar performances from nowhere and thus turned out to be absolute gamechangers for their respective sides. Here we take a look at some of those players.

Rahul Tewatia

Tewatia's association with the Indian Premier League dates back to 2013 but he had hardly earned any recognition in the sporadic opportunities he got with different teams during this period. However, the 2020 edition turned his career around completely as he went on to have a stellar season with both bat and ball.

Tewatia not only scored 255 runs at an excellent average of 42.50 but also picked up 10 wickets during the season. It included three match-winning performances as well. His spell of 3 for 37 completely derailed Chennai at Sharjah whereas his knocks of 53 and 45* against Punjab and Hyderabad respectively helped Rajasthan to pull off wins from difficult situations.

Lockie Ferguson

Kolkata were really struggling with their bowling towards the middle of the season. Pat Cummins was proving to be highly ineffective whereas nothing good was coming out of the inexperienced Indian pacers either. That was when they brought Lockie Ferguson into the XI to give their bowling unit the penetrative edge they were lacking, and the Kiwi international didn't disappoint.

Ferguson registered a match-winning spell of 4-0-15-3 right in his first match of this edition and thus helped Kolkata bounce back after a slump in form. He went on to end the season with six wickets to his name in five matches, claimed at an economy rate of 7.46.

Jason Holder

The Caribbean all-rounder's performances probably had the highest impact on a team's fortunes in this edition of the Indian T20 League. At the halfway mark, Hyderabad's chances of qualifying for the playoffs looked quite bleak. But Holder changed things up considerably as he not only turned put to be a wicket-taking bowler but also became a vital cog of their batting unit.

The 29-year-old picked up 14 wickets in the seven matches he played for Hyderabad, at an impressive average of 16.64, and also played a couple of useful cameos. It was due to his all-round show that Hyderabad were able to make it to the playoffs and his performances have ensured that he will be a highly sought-after asset in the mega auction next year.

A stellar performance with the bat followed by a dominant display with the ball saw Kolkata beat Rajasthan and give themselves a chance to qualify for the Indian T20 League playoffs.

Here are the key talking points from the contest:

Captain Morgan to the rescue

With his team reeling at 74/3 at the end of nine overs, Kolkata needed someone to step up and carry the team through the innings. Up rose captain Eoin Morgan, smashing an unbeaten 68 off 35 balls to guide his side to a massive total of 191 at the end of their batting effort. The Kolkata skipper hit five fours and half a dozen sixes in what was his best knock of the season.

Cummins comes good

In a season where he struggled to pick wickets, the record-purchase at the last auction, Pat Cummins came good for his side in their hour of need, picking three wickets in the Powerplay overs to dismantle Rajasthan's chase. With Rajasthan desperate to chase the total as quickly as possible to improve their net run rate, their top order decided to go after Cummins, but the wily Australian continued to bowl an aggressive line and was rewarded with three scalps in his first two overs. He added another to his tally late in the evening to finish with figures of 4-34, his best in the Indian T20 League. A stellar showing from the speedster.

One last toast from Tewatia

In what proved to be his final appearance of the season, all-rounder Rahul Tewatia went out with a sensational performance with both bat and ball in a valiant but fruitless effort. Tewatia picked three wickets with the ball while giving away just 25 runs in his quota of four and then scored 31 off 27 balls to keep his side in the hunt during their chase. Tewatia finished the season with 255 runs and 10 wickets in 14 matches, his best campaign to date in the league.

Where do things stand?

Kolkata started the match at the bottom of the table but jumped to fourth with this win. Their net run rate is 0.069 and 0.055 lower than Bangalore and Delhi, respectively. They will now have to rely on a big win for either Bangalore or Delhi tomorrow or more conveniently, a Mumbai victory over Hyderabad on Tuesday. Kolkata have run their race and will now watch the next two matches closely to determine their future in the competition.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Indian T20 League

Rajasthan had enjoyed a strong start to the 2020 Indian T20 League with back-to-back wins against Chennai and Punjab but faltered badly thereafter, winning just one of their six matches.

One individual who played a key role in both those wins was Sanju Samson, who started Indian T20 League 2020 in inspired form and picked up the Player of the Match award in Rajasthan’s opening two encounters. The 25-year-old had since hit a bad patch of form but a healthy knock in Match 40 against Hyderabad sees him back on the top, ahead of Jos Buttler and his captain Steve Smith, while Ben Stokes arrives into the top five courtesy of a superb century-garnering knock against Mumbai in Match 45 and a half-century against Punjab in Match 50.

With that in mind, here’s a list of players with the most runs for Rajasthan in Indian T20 League 2020 so far:

Player	Runs	Average	Strike rate
Sanju Samson	374	31.16	161.20
Steve Smith	307	27.90	131.75
Jos Buttler	293	32.55	142.92
Ben Stokes	267	44.50	141.26
Rahul Tewatia	224	44.80	143.58

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Rajasthan

We have seen some fascinating performances in the ongoing edition of the Indian T20 League and a lot of them have come from Rajasthan all-rounder Rahul Tewatia. 

The 27-year-old has been in sensational form with both bat and ball. On one hand, he has chased down targets from unbelievable situations for his team and on the other hand, he has given them control in the middle-overs with his bowling as well.

• Nicholas Pooran: Punjab's impact player in Indian T20 League 2020

Tewatia has not only been a vital cog of Rajasthan's shallow middle-order this season but has also emerged as one of their lead spinners as well. He has scored 222 runs at an average of 44.40 and has taken six wickets as well at a decent economy rate of 7.81. His all-round performances have been crucial to the team's fortunes in every match.

Tewatia's notable performances so far

3/37 vs Chennai | Rajasthan won by 16 runs

53(31) vs Punjab | Rajasthan won by 4 wickets

45*(28) vs Hyderabad | Rajasthan won by 6 wickets

Major Skill on display: Death-overs power-hitting

Even though he has been useful with both bat and ball, it is his batting that has made the difference this season. He showed exceptional range and power against pacers in both of his match-winning knocks against Punjab and Hyderabad. Rajasthan had lost early wickets in both of those matches and chasing down the targets looked impossible at one point. However, Tewatia maintained his calm and composure like a seasoned international player and took the game deep. 

Once he entered the death overs, he unleashed all sorts of shots against the pacers to clear the boundaries. Many people called it a fluke when he did this the first time against Punjab but he brought the world down to its knee when he played another gem against Hyderabad.

Impact Points

• One of the only two players with 200+ runs & 5+ wickets in this season

Tewatia is one of the two players who have reached the double of 200 runs and five wickets in the season. Marcus Stoinis of Delhi is the only other player who has been able to match this feat till now. The Australian all-rounder has scored 217 runs so far along with registering six wickets.

Read | Marcus Stoinis: Delhi's impact player in Indian T20 League 2020

• Third most runs and fifth-best average in the death overs this season

Tewatia has scored the third most number of runs (153) between over 17 and 20 this season. Only Kieron Pollard (172) and AB de Villiers (168) have scored more runs in this phase. As far as his average of 51 goes in this phase, it is the fifth-best among players who have faced a minimum of 30 deliveries during this period. He has done all this with an exceptional strike-rate of 209.59, which is again the seventh-best in this phase among the aforementioned category of players.

• Third most number of wickets in the 7-11 over phase

Tewatia's tally of four wickets in this phase is the third most in this season so far. Only Yuzvendra Chahal (seven) and Rahul Chahar (six) have taken more wickets. Tewatia has maintained a decent economy rate of 7.39 in the span of these overs as well and it is the ninth-best among the 28 bowlers who have bowled at least 30 deliveries in this phase.

Read | Shubman Gill: Kolkata's impact player in Indian T20 League 2020

Wall of Praise

Tewatia’s got a great eye and the courage to go for his strokes. No hesitation

�?Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 11, 2020

When they buy a marquee player, franchises hope for 3 or 4 match-winning performances. In a team with four superstars, Rahul Tewatia, bought for 30 lakh, has already won Rajasthan two games #SRHvRR

�?Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) October 11, 2020

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League

A sensational bowling display followed by an assured performance with the bat saw Rajasthan register a comfortable seven-wicket win over Chennai.

Here are the key talking points from the contest:

Chennai Jos-tled

Defending a modest total of 126, Chennai were in the hunt for early wickets and managed to get them, picking up three wickets in a space of two runs to reduce Rajasthan to 28/3. However, their hopes were quickly squashed by a sensational batting performance from Jos Buttler, who in his new role as the #5 batsman scored 70 off 48, seemingly batting on a different surface and guiding Rajasthan to a comfortable seven-wicket victory. 

Faf, Ambati, Jadeja and who?

Chennai's struggles with the bat continued as only one of the eight batsmen that had the opportunity to bat managed to score over 30 runs in the contest. Outside of Faf Du Plessis and Ambati Rayudu at the top of the batting order and Ravindra Jadeja towards its end, Chennai's batsmen are in horrible form. When at least two of these three fail to score well, Chennai usually finish with a rubbish score. While their bowling hasn’t been top-notch, it is their batting that has let them down miserably this season.

• Fans want Kedar Jadhav out of Chennai's starting XI

Rajasthan's rampant spin duo

While it was Chennai's spinners who were touted to bamboozle Rajasthan, the latter’s spin duo of Shreyas Gopal and all-rounder Rahul Tewatia flipped the script, bowling sensational spells that restricted Chennai to just 125 runs in their batting effort. Gopal was the pick of the bowlers on either side, giving away just 14 runs in his four overs while also dismissing the set Sam Curran. Tewatia, who has been Rajasthan's MVP this season, couldn’t play hero with the bat in this contest, but bowled a terrific spell of 1-18 in his quota of four overs.

Sanju Sam-sunk?

Rajasthan's Sanju Samson started the season with a 74 followed by an 85 and was seemingly poised to have a huge season. However, in the subsequent eight matches, Samson has scored 77 runs at a miserable average of 9.63, further illustrating how his inconsistency has hindered his progress and curbed his chances of playing for the Indian team. Samson has four games to redeem this season, however, given his current form, it seems far-fetched that he'd able to finish the campaign the way he kicked it off.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League

In a breeze, we have already crossed the midway mark of the 2020 Indian T20 League season and I now have a clearer picture on which teams are the cream of the crop and which need a bit of fine-tuning (or a big overhaul) through the rest of the way.

Teams in the top four will be eager to build on the gap to the chasing pack while those outside the playoff spots will be aiming to cut the lead of those leading the way.

With all eight teams in action during the weekend, a lot can change on the standings table by Monday. So, with teams eager to score points, here are the players I’ll be keeping a keen eye on this weekend.

Rajasthan �?Rahul Tewatia

If the tournament ended today, I don’t think many would argue against Rahul Tewatia winning the Most Valuable Player award. The all-rounder has been sensational for Rajasthan this season with both bat and ball and has won them games with his performances. With over 200 runs with the bat and an economy of just 7.39 with five scalps to his name, Tewatia has been invaluable to Rajasthan and I believe he holds the key to his team’s fortunes.

Bangalore �?Aaron Finch

In a season where rookie Devdutt Padikkal has been brilliant with the bat, while AB de Villiers and of late, Virat Kohli, continue to be their incredible selves, it’s Aaron Finch who has been the black sheep of that batting order. In eight innings, Finch has mustered just 191 runs at an average of just 23.87 and a high score of 52. What has been more surprising to me is that Finch, who is among the hardest hitters of a cricket ball in the game today, is striking at just 113.69, a poor return for an opener, let alone a player of his calibre. Bangalore are doing quite well this season and are looking in prime position to make it to the playoffs. However, Finch’s form will be an area of grave concern for Virat Kohli and his men.

Delhi �?Anrich Nortje

Nothing gets a fielding side more pumped than a fast bowler steaming in and clocking over 150 clicks with the ball. Anrich Nortje’s incredible spell against Rajasthan was a thing of beauty and by far the most scintillating show of fast bowling that I have seen so far this season. He’s been a tremendous partner with the ball for compatriot Kagiso Rabada and it’s brilliant to see two fast bowlers feeding off the pressure that the other builds and picking up wickets aplenty for their side. Delhi have the best bowling side in the league and Nortje is a big contributor in that unit.

Chennai �?Ravindra Jadeja

It’s been a rather strange season for Jadeja. Usually pretty reliable with the ball, he has struggled this season, giving away almost nine runs an over and averaging 50. Perhaps the best fielder in India, he’s also dropped a couple of sitters in the field, a sight as rare as they come. He is, however, excelling with the bat and has already scored more runs this season than he managed in the last two. He hit his maiden 50 in the Indian T20 League against Hyderabad, which ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides on the day. Ironically though, despite his pretty impressive form with the bat, he’s consistently batted at No. 7 and even No. 8 at times, a rather baffling decision given his form. What I’d like to see is Jadeja batting higher up the order and continue taking on the opposition as he has in his limited opportunities this season.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @Anrich Nortje02

Each Indian T20 league season throws up some new players and this year's no different. So far in the league, we have seen some commendable performances by a lot of young Indian superstars. The national team looks short on middle-order firepower and the need of the hour could be one of these players.

Suryakumar Yadav

A consistent performer in the Indian T20 League in the last few years, Suryakumar Yadav made 512 runs in the 2018 season and 424 in 2019. Despite good performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament as well, Suryakumar is yet to crack into the Indian T20I team.

The Mumbai middle-order batsman might be a straight shoo-in for the No. 4 or 5 position given his versatility in tackling pace and spin and accessing every area of the ground with his 360° batting. Suryakumar has 233 runs this season so far at an average of 38.83 and a strike-rate of 155.33, improving markedly on his scoring rate.

Rahul Tewatia

A left-field option for the finisher slot alongside Hardik Pandya or as his back-up, Rahul Tewatia has been an impact player for Rajasthan with incredible knocks this year from impossible situations. First used to counter leg-spin, Tewatia has showcased his prowess against pace and spin alike and can be a floater in India's middle-order like he is used by Rajasthan.

The fact that he can chip in with a few overs too makes Tewatia an enticing pick. Although it's possibly too early to put him in frame for this position, the sheer lack of big hitters in the death for India gives his case a considerable boost.

Mayank Agarwal

While he has shone as an opener this season, Mayank Agarwal is adept against spin and can tackle pace too. His batting in the middle overs, particularly against the spinners, puts him in line for a middle-order berth in India's shortest format team. A terrific Indian T20 League season so far has seen Mayank rack up 337 runs at an average of 48.14 and a strike-rate of 158.96, which features amongst the top 10.

A mainstay in the Indian Test side as opener now, Mayank is a great choice for a middle-order spot given how well he starts against spin. A consolidator and attacker, Mayank can complement the likes of Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya perfectly.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Punjab

Almost midway through the season, and the cream of the crop has risen to the top in the Indian T20 League campaign. But if you are still struggling with your fantasy side, here are a few picks to help you through the rest of the week:

Player: Suryakumar Yadav

Team: Mumbai

Mumbai's top-order batsman, Suryakumar Yadav has found his element and is yet again his team’s leading runscorer of the season. The Mumbai-native has been stellar since signing for the team in 2018 and after a tough couple of matches, announced his return to form with back-to-back sensational knocks against Rajasthan and Delhi. Mumbai will up against Kolkata, Suryakumar’s former side, and a struggling Punjab side this week so expect Yadav to be amongst the runs in both matches.

Player: Rahul Tewatia 

Team: Rajasthan

It’s hard to think of a player having a bigger impact on their team than Rahul Tewatia is having for Rajasthan. The all-rounder has become a key contributor for his side with both bat and ball and has been instrumental in all their victories so far this season. The 27-year-old has 159 runs with the bat and five wickets with the ball in what is quickly turning into an MVP-calibre season. Tewatia has become a must-have in your fantasy roster.

Player: Shreyas Iyer

Team: Delhi

Shreyas Iyer has been a terrific captain for Delhi this season, but the talented batsman is also coming good with the bat of late with a couple of brilliant knocks in his last few outings. Against Kolkata, Iyer played an incredible knock of 88 off 38 balls, leading his side to a mammoth win and in his last outing against his hometown side, Mumbai, the 25-year-old scored 42 off 33 on a tough batting surface. Iyer is peaking at the right time for Delhi and could be a great addition to your team.

Player: Ravi Bishnoi 

Team: Punjab

A star at the under-19 World Cup and now the Indian T20 League, youngster Ravi Bishnoi is quickly emerging as one of the best new finds in the league this season. The 20-year-old has picked up four wickets in his last two matches and is quickly climbing the list of the leading wicket-takers of this season. Bishnoi's impact of late is comparable to that of Bangalore’s Yuzvendra Chahal who has consistently answered his team’s call when they are in the hunt for a wicket or two. Pick the youngster in your team.

Player: Anrich Nortje

Team: Delhi 

Speedster Anrich Nortje has been the perfect partner for the leader in the race for the Purple Cap, Kagiso Rabada. The South African has picked up eight wickets at a good economy rate of 7.21 and is one of the key reasons for Delhi's incredible start to the campaign. With teams refraining from going after Rabada, their strategy to target Nortje has resulted in wickets for the pacer. If you are in the hunt for a wicket-taker, take a gamble on Nortje.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @rahultewatia02