IPL 2018, RR vs CSK: Jos Buttler being dropped thrice is SK Turning Point of the match
The Rajasthan Royals revived their hopes of making it to the playoffs of IPL 2018 with a nail-biting 4-wicket victory against the Chennai Super Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday (May 12). It was a terrific yet well-structured batting performance from the home side, as they toppled the mighty CSK to register the highest successful chase at this venue to get the two points on the day.
The visitors won the toss and MS Dhoni decided to bat first on the slow surface. He and his team put up a strong performance in the first innings and rode on the back of a well-made fifty from Suresh Raina, traipsed to a total of 176-4 after 20 overs.
It was a steep ask from Ajinkya Rahane and his men, as the pitch was uneven throughout and the ball was not coming onto the bat due to the sluggish nature of the surface. However, they pulled off a strong victory on the day, one which has now kept them firmly in the race for a top-four finish.
The anchor, as well as the aggressor of the chase, was Jos Buttler, who has been a revelation at the top of the order for the Rajasthan Royals. However, he played those roles in the reverse order. Realizing that the pitch was offering its best to the batsmen in the first six overs of the game, the right-hander went hard on the CSK bowlers in the batting powerplay, galloping to a score of 40 in just 21 deliveries in the said time frame.
His strike rate reduced in the latter stages of the game, but the English wicketkeeper stayed put at the crease through the 20 overs, his unbeaten innings was pivotal to Royals' victory on the day. However, he received slight assistance from the opposition in managing to do that.
Buttler was dropped by the CSK fielders on three separate occasions through the innings. First, it was Shane Watson who failed to hold on to Buttler's straight hit in his follow through in the 16th over of the game. Then, it was Dwayne Bravo, who followed a similar script in his over. Finally, it was the CSK skipper and wicketkeeper who could not cling on to a diving attempt off the final delivery of the same over.
These multiple drops proved to be the SK Turning Point of the match, as the Rajasthan opener powered them to a brilliant win on the day by making 12 runs in the ultimate over of the chase. The Royals will now travel to Mumbai to take on Rohit Sharma and his team in a match that will essentially be a battle for the fourth spot on the points table.