IPL 2022: People began expecting more from me after my knock vs Punjab in 2020, want to learn mystery deliveries from Rashid Khan at GT, says Rahul Tewatia

Rahul Tewatia first shot to fame in IPL 2020 when he played one of the best cameos in IPL history to help Rajasthan Royals chase down a record 224 against Kings XI Punjab. Rajasthan needed an improbable 51 runs to win in the last 18 deliveries. And Tewatia hit 5 sixes in the 18th over bowled by Sheldon Cottrell to equal the record for the most number of sixes hit in one over in the history of the IPL. A record that was earlier held solely by Chris Gayle. Tewatia couldn't finish off the win himself, falling to Mohammed Shami in the 19th over; but his 31-ball-53-run knock, which included as many as 7 sixes, completely swung the momentum Rajasthan's way, before Jofra Archer and Tom Curran finished the job to take the 2008 champions to a 4-wicket win. The 28-year-old from Haryana has moved across teams quite a bit. He made his IPL debut in 2014 for the Rajasthan Royals, but was then traded to Kings XI Punjab. He played next in the IPL in 2017, was then traded to Delhi Capitals in 2018 and was then traded back to Rajasthan Royals. In the 2022 auction, Tewatia was bought by one of the two new teams Gujarat Titans for a whopping Rs 9 crore.

Tewatia talked to TimesofIndia.com recently about his preparation for the 2022 IPL season and how he will be looking to pick up a few tricks of the trade from Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya and Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan. Excerpts:What was your initial impression of Gujarat Titans and what are you looking forward to the most?They have shown trust in me and picked me in their new team. With every team the motto is the same: win the trophy, it's the same here. We will work hard match-by-match and concentrate on the process. Do you think the price tag pressure might affect you