"Stay Off Twitter, Focus On Your Game": Graeme Smith's Advice To This Indian T20 Star

While the India squad for Ireland series saw someone like Rahul Tripathi getting his maiden national call-up, another quality player like Rahul Tewatia's wait to make it to the national squad continued. The all-rounder played a crucial role for newbies Gujarat Titans in IPL 2022. He scored 217 runs across 12 innings at a strike rate of 147.62. Soon after India's 17-member squad for the Ireland series was announced, Tewatia took to Twitter to say "expectations hurts (sic)". However, former South Africa captain Graeme Smith is of the opinion that he should rather focus on his game than the social media.

"We know he (Rahul Tewatia) has done well. There are numbers of players in that squad who have done well. That's the thing, there is so much competition for places. I would say to him, 'stay off Twitter, focus on your game, perform'. Make sure that next time the squad comes out no one can leave you out because you have bashed that door down," Smith said on Star Sports.

Smith hinted that Tewatia would not be in the plans of India's selection committee for the T20 World Cup, starting October 16 in Australia.

"India has got so many talented players. The selectors, Rahul (Dravid) and Rohit (Sharma) they will have an idea of what the majority of the squad is going to look like and who are the players vying for other squad positions, what is the balance of the team. Remember, you are playing in Australia, the conditions, the grounds, so that's got to go all into your thinking, in terms of building your squad that goes to the World Cup," the South African added.