Rahul Tewatia, the all-rounder of the Gujarat Titans, has revealed the secret to his success as a finisher in the IPL. In an interview with ESPN Cricinfo’s Cricket Monthly, the 29-year-old lauded skipper Hardik Pandya for his unwavering confidence in him. Tewatia attributed his explosive performances to the trust that Hardik bestowed upon him.
Tewatia, who rose to fame with the Rajasthan Royals, joined the Gujarat Titans last year and has since become one of the franchise’s most reliable finishers. With a strike rate of 157.30 in 27 matches, Tewatia ranks second only to Rashid Khan’s 209.80.
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During the interview, Tewatia recalled how Hardik gifted him a couple of match bats this season. The Gujarat Titans all-rounder confirmed that the bats were ready to be used in a match, and Hardik told him to keep them. Tewatia has been using those bats throughout the current season and credits them for his explosive performances.
Last season, after seven or eight matches, Hardik told Tewatia, “Good to see that you’re consistently finishing matches for us.” Tewatia believes that the trust and confidence Hardik showed in him was instrumental in his success as a finisher. Whenever the team faced a challenging situation, Hardik would say, “Oh, I know that Tewu will finish the job for us.”
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Tewatia believes that having such confidence from the captain is all a player needs. He stated that it allowed him to play freely and without fear of failure, which ultimately resulted in explosive performances.
The Gujarat Titans will be hoping that Tewatia can continue his impressive form in their upcoming matches. With Hardik’s unwavering trust in him, Tewatia is sure to make a significant contribution to the team’s success in the ongoing IPL season.