Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded Jos Buttler for playing a match-winning knock in last night’s IPL 2022 match between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Delhi Capitals (DC). Buttler smashed 116 runs off just 65 balls to help the team set a 223-run target for the Delhi side. Their bowlers then restricted the Capitals within 207/8 to win the match by 15 runs as well.
While reviewing the RR-clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Jos baba, how well you hit. He converted the ball into a flying saucer. He has already hit three centuries, two back to back, stop yaar. Just the Jos thing, just the boss thing. Jos is serving piping hot. Everyone else is on one side and Jos Buttler is in a different Orange Cap fight. Let’s be honest, Buttler started slowly. Devdutt Padikkal was running faster at the start. He is Indian cricket’s future. He likes this ground, he played extremely well with Virat Kohli last year on this ground. The performance was not that good this year but that also is a thing of the past. He batted very well in this match.”
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Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal added a 155-run partnership for the opening wicket in just 15 overs. Padikkal scored a 35-ball 54 with the help of seven fours and two sixes. Aakash Chopra said that there is no stopping Jos Buttler once he gets into his rhythm.
He observed: “While everyone else’s wagon runs on the ground, when Jos Buttler’s wagon gathers pace, it flies. The balls flew all around the park, he hit a lot. He converted the Wankhede Stadium into a no-fly zone. He has been absolutely rockstar. This was a slightly different innings. In the last two centuries, around the 40-run mark you knew that a hundred is loading, he was steadily going towards that. That was not the case this time around, he said he will put everyone on remand right from the start, fours and sixes on demand.”
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Sanju Samson’s quickfire knock made the difference towards the end. Samson smashed an unbeaten 46 off just 19 balls to give the finishing touches to RR’s innings after Jos Buttler’s stunning century.
He said, “Rajasthan Royals made a perfect 222/2 in 20 overs. There was just a slight difference between going beyond 200 or going beyond 220 and the difference was Sanju Samson. Sanju baba, when he comes in form, he plays very well. He destroyed everyone, whether it was Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel, Mustafizur or Shardul Thakur. Buttler was not alone. Devdutt Padikkal was there along with him. In fact, Devdutt Padikkal ran slightly quicker at the start and it seemed he slowed down a little towards the end. He actually batted well, the best that he has batted in this tournament thus far. They took the bowlers to task, they were hitting fours and sixes one after the other from both ends. When they started hitting, you realized that they are reading the table of 10.”
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Aakash Chopra also said that Prasidh Krishna was the game-changer for the Rajasthan Royals with the ball as he successfully restricted the opponents.
He reasoned: “The pick of the bowlers, the guy who changed the game in my opinion was Prasidh Krishna. He took three wickets in his four overs while conceding just 22 runs when the opposing team has scored 207 runs. Well done Prasidh, it was going hot and cold for him, but here he bowled very well.”
