Rahul Tewatia

International career

Rahul Tewatia was first selected for India's T20I squad in 2021. Despite strong performances in domestic cricket and the IPL, he has not played an international match yet. The competition for spots in the national team has been tough, limiting his chances.

• February 2021 – Picked for India's T20I squad against England but did not play.
• June 2022 – Left out of India's T20I squad for the series against Ireland, even after a good IPL season.
• November 2024 – Still waiting for his international debut.

Leagues Participation

Rahul Tewatia has been a consistent presence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since making his debut in 2014. Over the years, he has played for multiple teams, making valuable contributions as an all-rounder.

Indian Premier League

Rahul Tewatia started his IPL journey with Rajasthan Royals in 2014. The team signed him before the season, and he also played his first T20 match that year. In 2017, Kings XI Punjab bought him at the auction. A year later, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) added him to their squad. During the 2019 season, he took four catches in a single innings, setting a record for a non-wicketkeeper. Before the 2020 season, Rajasthan Royals brought him back through a trade.

In 2020, he became widely known while playing for Rajasthan Royals. On September 27, he hit five sixes in an over against Sheldon Cottrell, matching Chris Gayle’s record. His 53 runs off 31 balls helped Rajasthan chase 224 runs, which was the highest successful chase in IPL history at that time.

In 2022, Gujarat Titans picked him at the auction. On April 8, against Punjab Kings, he smashed two consecutive sixes on the last two balls, securing a victory for Gujarat.

For IPL 2023, Rahul Tewatia earned ₹9 crore and continued with Gujarat Titans.

Year	Team	Notes
2014	Rajasthan Royals	Made IPL debut, played a few matches.
2017	Kings XI Punjab	Bought in auction, limited game time.
2018	Delhi Daredevils	Contributed as an all-rounder, best score of 24.
2019	Delhi Capitals	Took 4 catches in an innings, a joint IPL record.
2020	Rajasthan Royals	Hit 5 sixes in an over, played a key role in chases.
2022	Gujarat Titans	Helped win matches with finishing skills, 9 crore deal.
2023	Gujarat Titans	High strike rate, key moments in close games.
2024	Gujarat Titans	Scored 224 runs in 10 successful chases.
2025	Gujarat Titans	Retained for ₹4 crore.

Domestic career

Rahul Tewatia started his domestic career with Haryana in the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy. He debuted on December 6, 2013, against Karnataka at Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium. In his first match, he scored 17 runs in two innings. In February 2017, he played his first List A match for Haryana in the 2016–17 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

In the 2023 season, Tewatia had a great performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored 99 runs off 70 balls in a match against Delhi, his best score in the tournament. He also hit three half-centuries in three innings, making 237 runs at a strike rate of 162.32 and hitting 15 sixes.

On February 10, 2024, Tewatia scored his first century in first-class cricket during a Ranji Trophy match against Jharkhand. He scored 144 runs off 212 balls, helping Haryana reach 509 runs in the first innings. Haryana won the match by 205 runs. Tewatia also took two wickets in the match. His post-match photo, with a mustache and batting cap like early 1900s players, went viral on social media.

Records and achievements

Rahul Tewatia has achieved several remarkable records throughout his cricket career. Some of his key milestones include:

• 5 Sixes in an Over (2020 IPL): On September 27, 2020, during a match against Kings XI Punjab, Tewatia hit 5 sixes off Sheldon Cottrell in the 18th over.
• Highest IPL Score (2020): In the same match, Tewatia scored 53 runs off 31 balls, his highest total in the IPL.
• Most Catches by a Non-Wicketkeeper (2019 IPL): Tewatia set the record for taking 4 catches in a single innings during the 2019 IPL.
• Highest Successful Chase in IPL History (2020): Tewatia helped Rajasthan Royals achieve the highest successful chase at that time, reaching a target of 224 runs.

Personal life

Rahul Tewatia comes from a family with different backgrounds. His father, Krishan Pal Tewatia, works as a lawyer in Faridabad. His mother, Prem Tewatia, takes care of the house. He has a sister named Ruma Tewatia.

His grandfather, Karanveer Tewatia, worked in farming and wrestling, hoping Rahul would follow in his footsteps. His uncle, Dharmbir Tewatia, a former national hockey player, also wished Rahul would play hockey.

Rahul got engaged to Ridhi Pannu on February 3, 2021, at The Oberoi in Gurgaon. They married on November 29, 2021. In September 2023, Rahul announced the birth of their baby girl on Instagram.

Finance

Rahul Tewatia has a net worth of around $4 million (Rs. 30 Crore INR).

Cars and House

He owns a house in Haryana, India, but there is little information about his cars.

Scandals

In 2022, Tewatia expressed his disappointment on social media after he was left out of India's squad for the Ireland tour. He said, "Expectations were not met."

Fans

Rahul has many fans. In the 2024 Ranji Trophy, a retro image of him became popular on social media, reminding fans of cricketers like Javed Miandad and Manoj Prabhakar.

After an IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020, Tewatia received a signed shirt from Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian team.

Rahul is also known as the "Ice Man" for his ability to finish matches under pressure, a nickname given by his fans. He has 415k followers on Instagram.