Tewatia says he was ready for Starc and his yorkers

Gujarat Titans’ batters Jos Buttler and Rahul Tewatia celebrate the victory against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

Rahul Tewatia once again pulled off a nail-biting win for Gujarat Titans, smashing Mitchell Starc’s full-length deliveries for a six and a four off consecutive balls with 10 runs needed in the last over. 

Once termed ‘Iceman’ for his final-over heroics, Tewatia was nonchalant after the win over Delhi Capitals. “This is how we win most matches. Gujarat Titans has been doing this since 2022,” he quipped at the post-match press conference.

Tewatia’s blitz left Jos Buttler three runs short of a well-deserved century, but the expert finisher said the Englishman had asked him not to worry about his milestone.

“He asked me not to think about his hundred. He told me ‘I know you are very clear in your mind. Just execute your plan.”

Starc had successfully defended eight runs in the final over with a slew of accurate yorkers against Rajasthan Royals to take the contest into the Super Over, and Tewatia said he was prepared for that gameplan.

“The way he bowled yorkers and defended nine runs in the final over in the last game, I was mentally prepared that he would back his yorkers. My plan was to hit on the merit of the ball, whether it is a yorker or a good-length delivery,” he said.

Meanwhile, DC pacer Mukesh Kumar admitted that his team was 10 to 15 runs short on a batting-friendly wicket. “It was a batting wicket, so any indiscretion in length was being punished with a four or a six,” he said.