The finisher has become a bone of contention for Gill, the flop batsman is cashing in on the ‘fix deposit’ of 5 sixes in IPL.

New Delhi. There is a famous saying in the circles of cricket, “It is difficult to earn a name, but it is even more difficult to maintain it, but Rahul Tewatia has changed this definition itself. In the year 2021, those 5 sixes that he hit Sheldon Cottrell on the ground of Sharjah, still remain the ‘fixed deposit’ of Tewatia’s career, the interest of which he is eating till today.

Fans on social media have now even started saying that if there is any poster boy of ‘quota system’ in IPL, then it is Rahul Tewatia. Since 2021, there has been no innings from his bat that could come even close to his personal score of 53 runs. Tewatia’s bat has remained silent so far this season for Gujarat Titans and gradually he has started to irritate the fans.

Statistics or just the tag of ‘finisher’?

Playing for Gujarat Titans in 2022, he scored 43* against RCB, which can be called his recent best. Even in the 2024 season, his maximum score remained 36 runs. The question arises whether just two-four ‘quickfire’ cameos are enough for a player to get a place in the playing eleven year after year?

Luck and franchise confidence

This left-handed batsman definitely comes on the field with ‘swag’, but when it comes to big scores, his hand seems to be tight. While young talents are dropped after a poor season, Tewatia still walks around with the luxury tag of ‘match finisher’ thanks to that one historic over.
Is Tewatia really a helplessness for Gujarat Titans or is he really an ‘impact player’ who is not kept alive by statistics but by the thrill of the last over? At the moment, it seems that those five balls of 2020 have filled the ration and water of his entire career.

performance and money

If we look at the last two seasons, Tewatia’s performance has not been as per expectations. In IPL 2025, he scored only around 100 runs in about 15 matches, in which no major innings came. In IPL 2026 too, his contribution in the initial matches has been limited. So far only 49 runs have been scored in 6 matches. As a finisher, he is expected to change the course of the match in fewer balls, but this effect has been less visible in recent matches. Tewatia’s IPL salary is around ₹ 4 crore. This amount shows that the franchise considers him an important squad player. Although it is not as much as the top-tier players, it is definitely true that the team expects match-winning contributions from them.