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Cricket PlayersRahul Tewatia celebrates maiden India call-up with 6 sixes and 4 fours in Vijay Hazare
Rahul Tewatia who was named in the India T20I squad for the five-match series against England, hit 73 off just 39 balls to power Haryana to a good total of 299 for nine batting first against Chandigarh in Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Rahul Tewatia celebrated his maiden India call-up with a blistering display of batting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021 Elite Group A match against Chandigarh at the Videocon ground in Kolkata on Sunday.
Tewatia who was named in the India T20I squad for the five-match series against England, hit 73 off just 39 balls to power his side to a good total of 299 for nine batting first.
Coming in at No.7 after Haryana lost their top-scorer and centurion Himanshu Rana for 102, Tewatia gave a grand finish to the innings by hitting six sixes and four fours.
The attacking left-hander, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, scored at an impressive strike of 187.18.
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After getting to his fifty off 32 balls, Tewatia scored his next 22 runs off just six balls before getting dismissed by Jagjit Singh Sidhu.
Speaking to ANI moments after being named in the Indian team, Tewatia said that breaking into the Haryana squad and cementing a place in the XI in the presence of quality performers made him mentally strong and helped his game.
"Imagine fighting it out for a place in the team which has legends like Amit Mishra Bhai. Then you had Jayant Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal has also represented the state team whenever he has not been busy playing for India. The level of competition for spinners in the Haryana team is one of the toughest I would say. Finding a place and performing for Haryana not only gave me confidence but also helped me back my skills," he explained.
Tewatia became a household name in India after smashing five sixes in one over off Sheldon Cottrell to turn things on its head in an IPL match in UAE last year.
Asked how he would react to days when he did not perform considering the level of competition in the state team, Tewatia said that the support of the Haryana Cricket Association and former BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry has helped him face all challenges.
"Yes, it can get tough some times when you have a bad game here and there, but there has been immense support from HCA. Not to forget how Anirudh sir has always instilled confidence in me. He was always a call away and ensured that I only looked at the positive side and backed my game," he pointed.
Tewatia is also excited about sharing the dressing room with some of the biggest names in international cricket.
"So far, I played against Virat Kohli in the IPL. Now I will play with him and share the dressing room with him. Cannot wait to share the dressing room with him and some of the best cricketers in world cricket. It will be all about learning from them and understanding how they compete against the best in the business and succeed," he smiled.
Tewatia also believes that a successful IPL was a big blessing. "You do know that the best in the world come over to play in the IPL. If you perform against them, it also helps build your confidence. I am glad that I could play match-winning knocks for Rajasthan Royals this season," he signed off.
Along with Tewatia, the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Varun Chakravarthy were also named in India's T20 squad for the series against England.
(with ANI inputs)
