It was Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler’s turn on Sunday to go berserk. He spearheaded them to a stunning eight-wicket win against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Buttler’s performance marked a significant turnaround after a challenging period in his cricket career, where he faced difficulties both behind the stumps and with the bat.
Buttler, motivated by “a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket,” entered the match with an eagerness to reclaim his form. He had struggled in international cricket, managing only one half-century in 11 innings after starting the year with a promising score of 68 in the first T20 against India in January. After England’s embarrassingly early exit from the Champions Trophy, Buttler chose to resign the white-ball captaincy. That was their third straight tournament that ended before they would have liked.
In this particular match, Buttler was coming in at number three and his influence on this game was key to leading his side home. He started in the slow lane at first, getting only nine runs off his first ten balls. But soon he settled down too, first smashing a pull for four followed by two sixes that shifted the momentum back in India’s favour and got his innings going.
Buttler’s innings culminated in an unbeaten 73 runs, helping the Titans chase down RCB’s target of 170 with 13 balls to spare. RCB put a competitive score of 169-8 on the board. All-rounder Liam Livingstone led the way for the home side, scoring a blistering 54. Buttler’s innings ended up being the difference between the two sides. He had his fair share of goofs earlier in the tournament, most notably dropping RCB opener Phil Salt and fluffing a stumping chance against Livingstone.
Buttler’s calm, then, under the pressure, resilience personified as he blasted his way clear after the circumspect beginning – just what they needed. His recent form certainly suggests the latter, having recently scored 54 and 39 in his last two IPL innings. Against Oveshkin, he was able to prove his resiliency and show that he can regain the upper hand.
Reflecting on his performance, Buttler acknowledged the pressure he had been under: “The only thing I can think of is I was trying to throw it [the catch] up a bit early [to celebrate]. I barely got a glove on it. It hit me in the chest.” He emphasized his intention to play freely and with intent during his innings, stating, “I was trying to play with lots of freedom and intent.”
Gujarat’s Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers. He bowled unbelievably well, taking career-best 3/19 against the very franchise that had released him a year prior. This match not only highlighted Buttler’s return to form but showcased Gujarat Titans’ overall strength as they continue to compete vigorously in the IPL.
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