Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) star batsman Rahul Tewatia on 27th September produced one of the most remarkable innings the T20 cricket has ever seen during an IPL 13 encounter between RR and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The 27-year-old started to rain hell on KXIP with the bat and played an extraordinary innings of 53 off 31 balls to guide RR to an emphatic 4-wicket win over the KXIP.
He also struck Sheldon Cottrell for 5 sixes in 6 balls during his match-winning innings. Following his incredible knock, everyone is just talking about the Haryana star.
On Tuesday (September 30), Rahul has revealed how playing alongside three Team India spinners in domestic circuit moulded him into a cricketer with an ability to do the unbelievable job with the bat.
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The left-handed batsman has played with India’s one of leading spinners Yuzvendra Chahal, veteran spinner Amit Mishra and Jayant Yadav at various stages including for Haryana and credited the trio for his incredible transformation as the batsman.
Tewatia said during a pre-match press conference: “I play for Haryana and made my Ranji Trophy debut in 2013-14. I played a lot in Lahli (in Rohtak) which favours medium pacers. The presence of three India international spinners in our team helped me a lot over the years.”
On his struggle to bat during pressure situation when he was at 17 off 23 balls, the Haryana middle-order batsman said: “When I was not able to hit, I was under pressure, but Sanju told me that it's a matter of one hit and I was waiting for that one hit.”
He also revealed what his RR captain Steve Smith and head coach Andrew McDonald said after his heroics against the KXIP.
Tewatia added, “They told me, in this level coming back from where you were, requires mental toughness. There were always confident about my ability. I was looking for one big hit, one big over and that came (when Cottrell came in to bowl the 18th over).”
Rahul signed off by saying, “I had the confidence that once I start hitting, I would be able to pull it off. I was looking for a game-changing over to close in on the target. I was told to go and take on the bowlers, my role was clear from the beginning, from last one month. It was a chance to prove myself.”
(With PTI Inputs)
