"He has justified his hefty price tag" - Virender Sehwag hails Rahul Tewatia after GT's 5-wicket win over SRH
Former India opener Virender Sehwag lavished praise on Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Rahul Tewatia for his exploits with the bat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2022).
He pointed out how the left-hander has once again chipped in with a match-winning knock this season.
Speaking on Cricbuzz after Gujarat's thrilling last-ball win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sehwag mentioned that it was important for Rahul Tewatia to deliver as the side had lost several wickets.
He stated that the 28-year-old delivered under pressure on yet another occasion and was instrumental in his IPL team's victory.
The former cricketer suggested that with his significant contributions in multiple matches, Tewatia has been successful in justifying his hefty price tag.
The swashbuckling batter was roped in by the Gujarat-based franchise for a whopping ₹9 crore at the IPL 2022 auction.
Sehwag said:
"Rahul Tewatia had the responsibility to see them through after David Miller's wicket and he did that. His contribution was even more valuable than Rashid's. If he would have also gotten after early then Rashid would have had to score a lot more runs and that would have been difficult for him. He has justified his hefty price tag with multiple impactful performances."
Rahul Tewatia, with his unbeaten knock of 40 from just 21 deliveries, helped his side chase down an imposing target of 196 against SRH on Wednesday. It is worth mentioning that GT required 22 runs from the final over. Tewatia tilted the match in his team's favor by slamming a stunning six on the first ball of the 20th over.
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"GT somehow find a way to finish such close games" - RP Singh impressed with Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan
Speaking in the same video, RP Singh highlighted how the Hardik Pandya-led side have on several occasions emerged victorious in close encounters. He stated that these are good signs for them to be able to win such matches consistently.
Singh suggested that several of their players have stepped up during such crunch situations to seal the game for their side. He added that while Tewatia, with his last-over heroics, had won them the game against Punjab Kings, it was Rashid Khan who did the unthinkable this time around.
He explained:
"Last time it was Rahul Tewatia who hit 2 sixes from 2 balls to win the match. Rashid Khan joined him this time around and they hit 4 sixes on this occasion to cross the line. They somehow find a way to finish such close games. Now teams must look to give the 20th over to their best bowler."
A look at the Points Table after Match 40 of #TATAIPL https://t.co/juewWJPnN7
The Gujarat-based side have faced just a single loss from their first eight fixtures in this year's cash-rich league. With seven wins to their name, they are currently the IPL points table-toppers of the competition.