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Stay off Twitter, focus on your game: Graeme Smith tells Rahul Tewatia after Ireland T20I snub

Written by Mohan Sharma

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said it’s important for Rahul Tewatia to focus his frustration on improving and make sure he never gets snubbed again from selection after the all-rounder was left out from the squad for the T20I series in Ireland.

Rahul Tewatia had put out a cryptic tweet, saying “expectation hurts” a day after the BCCI senior selection committee announced the squad for the Ireland T20Is, scheduled for June 26 and 28. While Hardik Pandya leads the 17-member squad, the likes of Sanju Samson returned to the side which is full of white-ball specialists.

Rahul Tewatia has been knocking on the doors of the selectors in the recent past and he showcased his improved finishing skills in IPL 2022, playing a key role in Gujarat Titans’ winning run. He scored 217 runs at an average of over 30 and a staggering strike rate of close to 150.

“India have so many talented players. The selectors, Rahul and Rohit, now have an idea of what the majority of the squad is going to look like and who are the players that are vying for the other squad positions. So it’s very difficult to sit here and say. We know he has done so well but there is so much competition out there,” Smith told Star Sports while discussing India’s T20I squad for the Ireland tour.

“I would tell him ‘stay off Twitter, focus on your game, perform. Make sure the next time the squad comes out, no one can leave you out because you have just dashed that door down’,” he added.

 

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Mohan Sharma