Before Saturday’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru9RCB), Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler had scored just 183 runs in his previous ten innings of the tournament. He had also been in a lean patch of late in white-ball cricket, leaving many worried over when Buttler would return to form.
But at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Buttler weathered the early storm and then brought out the attacking play to perfection in returning to form by exactly 100 runs off 58 balls, laced with nine fours and four sixes, in what was his sixth IPL century.
Through his brilliant knock which gave Rajasthan a six-wicket win to maintain their 100% percent win record, Buttler has also become only the second batter to score a century in his 100th IPL match, after KL Rahul.
"A little bit of luck to get it over the rope in the end, didn't time it that well, but delighted to get the win. However long you've played the game, you still have those anxieties and stresses. Sometimes you just have to tell yourself it'll be okay. Just keep digging in, working hard, at some point we will be okay.
"I actually did feel really good in the last game, even though I only scored 13 or something. We've started this season really well. We've been together for three seasons, everyone's comfortable with each other, we just need to keep this momentum going," said Buttler after getting Player of the Match award.
Buttler was also well-supported by captain Sanju Samson making 69 off 42 balls, with the duo sharing a match-defining 148-run stand. It meant RR completed the chase with five balls to spare, with Buttler hitting a six to finish off the chase in style and be now on top of the points table.
"I think anything below 190, with a little bit of dew coming in, with the batting order we have, I felt it was a good total to chase. Touchwood, few more games to go, we are bowling well. And we have got a break, which is helping us charge up and come in fresh. It was just a matter of time with Jos. He just needed to get through the powerplay and middle a few balls," he said.
Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s director of cricket, felt everything went as per plan for his team, including Buttler’s return to form and also asked for patience towards Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is having a rough time in IPL 2024 so far.
"I thought it was a good toss to win, we were pretty decisive in wanting to chase. RCB started well, but Nandre Burger brought us back with the spinners, and Jos and Sanju were clinical. Everyone requires a chat, but the chat doesn't have to be about cricket or technique or anything like that.
"Jos is the best white-ball opener in the world, and all he needed to do was sit back and ignore some of the noise. We know the quality that Jaiswal brings to the side, we just want him to relax and bat, and bat long. He just needs to calm down a little bit, rest up," said Sangakkara.
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