TNPL Star 'Rocket Raheja' Ready To Lift Off

Over the past two Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) seasons, Tushar Raheja has earned the nickname “Rocket Raheja” for his fearless batting. A wicketkeeper-batter and attacking opener, he played a pivotal role in Tiruppur Tamizhans’ maiden TNPL title in 2025, topping the run charts with 488 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 185.55.

His 77 in the final against R Ashwin’s Dindigul Dragons underlined his big-game temperament, and even his captain R Sai Kishore went public with the verdict: Raheja was ready for the IPL.

Despite his breakthrough, Raheja fell short of an IPL contract. He attended trials before and during the 2025 season, including a mid-season call-up, but couldn’t make the cut. Instead of frustration, he found motivation.

“I thought I did well at the Delhi trials and then I was called again during the tournament as well,” Raheja told ESPNcricinfo. “That was again a good experience and that helped me evolve… I was amongst people who got picked in this year’s IPL like Priyansh Arya. After the auction, I tried to compare myself to them in terms of seeing what they are doing right and what I’m not.”

Being around the likes of Hemang Badani and Rahul Dravid during trials only added to his self-belief. “Seeing them at trials, going back and seeing their videos and seeing them in the IPL - that gave me a lot of learning. Being amongst Hemang Badani, Rahul Dravid and other Indian cricketers gives you a lot of confidence, which I’ve tried to carry into this season.”

Controlling The Adrenaline

In his younger days, Raheja admits he was easily swept away by the “adrenaline rush.” Now, he has developed a calmer mindset, thanks to mental conditioning coach Raymun Roy, who has also worked with Washington Sundar and B Sai Sudharsan.

“Roy has played a big role in this aspect, where basically you are controlling your heartbeat,” Raheja explained. “Like, when you are playing a match or when you are under pressure, what brings a lot of thoughts is your heartbeat and at the time, your mind will be running fast. So, I’ve tried to keep that in check and not have too many thoughts.”

He practices quantum breathing exercises both off the field and during games. “Even when I’m batting in between balls, there are a lot of small exercises that I do, which help me not think, if that makes sense.”

Spin: From Stumbling Block To Strength

If raw intent made Raheja dangerous early in his innings, spinners once slowed him down after powerplays. Determined to fix this, he worked closely with personal coach TV Ramkumar.

“What I have put in a lot of work into is hitting straight, hitting over covers and mainly hitting straight,” Raheja said. “Because if you are able to hit straight, the other things will come with your bat swing. But the hardest thing to do is hit a bowler, especially a spinner, straight. I’ve been training with Mr. Ramkumar for three years now and I’ve understood my game because of him.”

His drills now revolve around better bat swing and sharper length reading. “From last year or even the year before that, after the powerplay, I was slowing down. So, I did a lot of drills against spin, getting my bat swing a lot better against spin and trying to pick length a lot better.”

A Shift To The Top

Interestingly, Raheja wasn’t always an opener. He spent his early TNPL years in the middle order before coach RX Murali spotted his potential.
“I was batting in the middle order in the TNPL for a couple of seasons,” Raheja recalled.

“I used to ask him: ‘Sir, give me a shot at opening’. He then gave me an opportunity and he really liked my attacking intent. He has worked with some of the top cricketers in the country. His inputs have been valuable, and it helps working with someone who has so much T20 experience.”

Since then, Raheja has thrived as a top-order batter, transforming into a consistent threat.

Inspired By Dhoni, Driven By Hayden

Raheja’s cricket story began with MS Dhoni. He had first enrolled in tennis, but watching Dhoni lift the 2007 T20 World Cup convinced him to pick up a cricket bat. “I was always a fan of Dhoni,” he said.

“When Matthew Hayden used to play for CSK, I used to go to Chepauk to watch a lot of matches. So, I was fascinated by the way he took down fast bowlers. I was also fascinated by Yuvraj Singh but I’ve always idolised Dhoni mainly.”

Those early Chepauk nights watching Hayden tee off now shape his own T20 ambitions.

Looking Beyond White-Ball

While T20s and the TNPL spotlight have propelled him, Raheja is wary of being pigeon-holed. He has already represented Tamil Nadu in white-ball cricket and is eyeing a place in the Ranji Trophy side. The upcoming Buchi Babu tournament, where TNCA XI will face Mumbai, offers him that chance.

“I wish to do a lot better in the red-ball format than I’m [doing] right now,” Raheja said. “I don’t want to be just branded as a white-ball only player. I know I have the game for the red-ball format as well. I have a lot more work to do, which I am working on in that format. But those ambitions are definitely there, and I want to break into the Ranji side as well.”

For now, Raheja’s focus is on the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he looks to build momentum toward the IPL 2026 auction. With a matured mindset, sharper skills against spin, and a trailblazing TNPL behind him, “Rocket Raheja” appears primed for lift-off into bigger stages.