Criminal advocate Krishan Pal Tewatia had never received so many phone calls in a single day as he did on Monday and had never received so many unknown visitors at his home in Sihi village in Sector 8 of Faridabad, near Delhi. Reason: His only son and latest IPL star, Rahul Tewatia, had on Sunday sprung into the limelight at Sharjah as he set up an improbable win for Rajasthan Royals with the bat.

The little-known Tewatia, a leg-spinner in the traditional mould and a hard-hitting left-handed batsman, catapulted to headline news by Sunday midnight after he swatted 53 off 31 balls, including seven sixes, at No.4 that took Royals to the brink of victory. The 27-year-old player was out when only two runs were required for a win, which Royals duly sealed - and he instantly attracted global fame.