Buttler told Tewatia 'don't look at my hundred'

The Gujarat Titans (GT) top order has been so prolific this season that it is easy to forget the previous time Rahul Tewatia had much to do in IPL 2025. In fact, he had batted in each of GT's previous three games and made an impactful 24 not out off 12 against Rajasthan Royals (RR).

On Saturday, Tewatia came in at No. 5 with GT needing 11 off 7 against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Ahmedabad, and Mitchell Starc to bowl six of those balls. Only a game ago, Starc had successfully defended eight runs in the final over against RR with a barrage of reverse-swinging yorkers to take the game into a Super Over, where he bowled DC to victory.

Tewatia's first ball was the last of the 19th over and he took a single to retain strike for the 20th, with Jos Buttler on 97 off 54 balls at the other end. He then slog-swept Starc over midwicket for six and got an inside edge to go between his legs for four to complete the chase of 204 with seven wickets in hand and four balls to spare.

"It was not as if I expected him to bowl just yorkers," Tewatia said after sealing the win that took GT to the top of the points table with five wins in seven games. "But the way he bowled yorkers in the last match and defended nine [eight], I expected him to back his yorkers. My aim was to see the ball and hit, whether he bowled length or yorker."

Tewatia said Buttler had backed him to go for his shots in the last over instead of thinking of handing over the strike to the set batter. He had batted with Buttler only once previously before Saturday, for RR in IPL 2020.

"He told me just one thing when we needed ten off the last over - don't look at my hundred," Tewatia said. "He told me 'I know you are very clear in your mind - so just execute your plan and not at my hundred, just look at winning the game'."

GT had won the toss on a hot afternoon in Ahmedabad and all the DC batters got rapid starts, which kept them on course for a 220-plus score. They were 105 for 3 after ten overs and 163 for 4 after 16, but got 40 for 4 at the death to finish on 203 for 8. GT captain Shubman Gill credited his bowlers for fighting back.

"The way we pulled back in the game, at one point it was like the total is going to be around 220-230," Gill said. "But in the last overs, the way we pulled back in the game, credit to the bowlers for that. Before this match, we talked about [having] back-to-back games tonight and then the day after tomorrow at Eden [Gardens against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)]. These two games, we thought, would decide where we will stand in the points table and we are very happy to get this one."

Despite DC scoring at a high rate, GT's reluctance to bowl left-arm spinnerR Sai Kishore came as a surprise considering his performances this season. Rashid Khan was brought on after the powerplay and, for most of the innings, was the lone spinner used. With Ashutosh Sharma finding pace on the ball easy, Gill turned to Sai Kishore for the final over of the innings. He gave away just nine runs and dismissed Ashutosh, his 11th wicket in IPL 2025.

"They were ahead in the game and we didn't want them to get too much ahead," Gill said. "The thought process was it was difficult to hit the fast bowlers in the middle. So we thought let's continue with them."

One of the factors that went against Sai Kishore's introduction was the presence of the left-handed Axar Patel almost through the middle overs of DC's innings. "The way the game was going on, [Sai Kishore] was not needed," Tewatia said. "Ashutosh had hit medium-pacers for sixes, so coach and captain felt we need to go to spin. That last over went for just eight or nine, so it worked in our favour. It was not a miscalculation; it was all as per match situation and batters in the middle."