‘I was trying to do the same’ – Jos Buttler refers to two Indian legends as inspiration for special knock in run-chase
Jos Buttler played an innings of a lifetime to power Rajasthan Royals (RR) to their sixth win of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Eden Gardens. He helped the Royal to chase down the joint highest-ever target, 224, and consolidate their position at the top of the ladder.
The start wasn’t as easy for Buttler, who was coming after recovering from a niggle that kept him out of the action in the previous game. He struggled for fluency and looked to be forcing his way in the first half of the innings. Chasing a mammoth 224, Buttler took as many as 36 deliveries for his fifty, completing the milestone in the 15th set.
However, he hung in there and soon found the missing fluency to put Rajasthan Royals on track in the chase. While Rovman Powell departed after a quick-fire cameo, Buttler didn’t lose his wicket and targetted his matchups wisely, showing his superior game sense.
From taking 36 balls for his fifty, Buttler raced to a 55-ball century in the final over and later sealed the game on the last delivery. It was his seventh ton in the competition, arguably his finest.
An Impactful Innings 😍
🔝 class effort from a 🔝 player ft. Jos Buttler
Watch the match LIVE on @StarSportsIndia and @JioCinema 💻📱#TATAIPL | #KKRvRR | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/5vz2qLIC7Z
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 16, 2024
Jos Buttler refers to Kohli and Dhoni as inspiration for special knock in run-chase
Jos Buttler rightly won the Man of the Match award for his sensational century to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In the post-match conference, Buttler referred to Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, stating he took a cue from their method in the run chases.
“Guys like Dhoni and Kohli – the way they stay till the end and keep believing, and I tried to do the same. That’s something Sangakkara has told me a lot – there’s always a breaking point. The worst thing you can do is not fight and give your wicket away.”
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have batted with a set template in this format, which has reaped ample success for them. They try to take the game deep and put bowlers under pressure, forcing them to make errors.
Jos Buttler did that at the Eden Gardens precisely to stun the home crowd. By the end, he was out of energy but didn’t let the game slip by, as Rajasthan Royals continued to dominate the season.
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