Mid-match drama as umpires stop Rahul Tewatia for breaching IPL rule; Gujarat Titans batter forced to rectify error

The incident occurred in the penultimate over of the innings, shortly after Rahul Tewatia walked in following the dismissal of Washington Sundar.

Updated on: Apr 1, 2026, 06:43:29 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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An unexpected twist unfolded during the closing stages of the Gujarat Titans' innings on Tuesday in New Chandigarh during their IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings, as visiting batter Rahul Tewatia was flagged by the on-field umpire for breaching a bat-size regulation and was forced to make an immediate correction.

Gujarat Titans' Rashid Khan, right, and Rahul Tewatia during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 T20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans (PTI)

The incident occurred in the penultimate over of the innings, shortly after Tewatia walked in following the dismissal of Washington Sundar. However, before he could take strike, the umpire halted proceedings to check the gauge of his bat—a practice that has become routine in international cricket and has been implemented in the IPL since last year.

PBKS vs GT LIVE Score, IPL 2026

Tewatia’s bat failed the gauge test, prompting the umpire to instruct him to change it before continuing. The moment was later shared by broadcasters on social media, drawing widespread attention.

Since April 2025, IPL match officials have been using bat gauges to ensure compliance with size regulations. While the organisers did not issue a formal statement when introducing the checks, the move is understood to be aimed at maintaining a fair balance between bat and ball, preventing batters from gaining an undue advantage through oversized equipment.

The regulation traces its origins to measures first enforced by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2018. Under Law 5 of the Marylebone Cricket Club’s Laws of Cricket, bat dimensions are strictly defined—edges must not exceed 4 cm (1.56 inches), the overall depth is capped at 6.7 cm (2.64 inches), and the width cannot exceed 10.8 cm (4.25 inches).

Earlier in the game, Punjab Kings won the toss, with captain Shreyas Iyer opting to bowl first. The home side’s bowlers, led by the experienced Yuzvendra Chahal, effectively choked Gujarat Titans in the middle overs, restricting them to 162/6 on what appeared to be a good batting surface.

Chahal returned figures of 2/28 from his four overs, while seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak impressed with 3/34.

For Gujarat Titans, skipper Shubman Gill top-scored with 39 off 27 balls, while Jos Buttler contributed 38 off 33, but the overall batting effort lacked momentum.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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