Rahul Tewatia, a batsman for the Gujarat Titans (GT), has said that he has spent three to four years honing his skills as a finisher through much practice. The 29-year-old cricketer has admitted that he practises his finishing by setting targets for himself during match simulations.
On Thursday, April 13, with four runs needed off two balls, Tewatia smashed a boundary by scooping Sam Curran over fine leg. The shot taken was the decisive shot in match 18 between GT and PKS of IPL 2023, played at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
After winning the toss, GT opted to bowl first. Unfortunately, PBKS only scored 153/8 and set a target of 154 runs. Despite Shubman Gill’s 67 runs off 49 balls, the Punjab bowlers fought valiantly to force a last-over finish. Tewatia’s composure was crucial in the end, helping the Gujarat Titans win.
Not for the first time had the left-handed batsman delivered his services when the stakes were high. Tewatia, when asked about his remarkable consistency in scoring the winning runs and finishing matches, stated,
“Nothing happens overnight. When I was a player for the Rajasthan Royals in 2020, I was given the responsibility of a finisher. When your role is specified, you have a clear understanding of it. When batting in the sixth or seventh spot, you will likely face close situations eight to nine times per league game.”
‘I have been practising for this’: Rahul Tewatia
“For the past three to four years, I have been practising for this. Through match simulations, I practise and set targets for myself, which gives me a notion of how to finish matches.”
In an IPL 2020 match between Rajasthan and Punjab, Rahul Tewatia showed off his finishing capabilities by hammering Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over. Last year, when GT needed 12 runs off the final two balls of the match, he smashed Odean Smith for a pair of sixes.
Rahul Tewatia revealed that he was thinking about playing a couple on the on-side and taking the game down to the final ball when asked how he planned the winning shot against Punjab Kings.
On second thinking, though, he realised how risky the manoeuvre was because the ball was reversing. “A double (two runs) on the leg side, which is the bigger side of the ground, is something he was considering. But I thought it was a little risky. I decided that a scoop shot would be my best option, with only two balls remaining. The ball was reversing, and I trusted my decision and decided to play the shot.”
David Miller was not out at 17 runs off 18 balls, whilst Rahul Tewatia was unbeaten on five runs. Fast bowler Mohit Sharma was given the “Player of the Match” for his exceptional bowling figures of 2/18.