IPL 2020: Top order failures have cost RR dear - Jos Buttler

Poor starts with the bat in the last three games have cost Rajasthan Royals dear, says Buttler after the 57-run defeat to Mumbai Indians.

Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler at the post-match press conference on Tuesday. - BCCI/IPL

Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler on Tuesday admitted that top order failures have cost his team dear in the Indian Premier League.

The Royals suffered a 57 run-loss to Mumbai Indians - its third defeat on the trot - with only Buttler providing some resistance with the bat with a knock of 70 (44b).

“We have not managed to come off as a top-order in the last three games. We have lost three wickets in the Powerplay a few times and in T20 cricket you never win too many games from that position,” Buttler said at the post-match press conference.

“Of course, the Powerplay is a time you have to take advantage due to the field restrictions, but as players we have not performed but that can happen in T20 cricket,” Buttler added.

Chasing 194, the Royals stumbled to 12 for 3 in the third over and never recovered from there despite the quickfire half-century from Buttler. They were eventually bundled out for 136.

“We lost wickets. Mumbai bowled really well and we never got into our innings. As a batsman, you are always vulnerable early on in your innings and as a top order we didn’t manage to counteract the opening bowling well enough to get through that period,” Buttler said.

For Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten 79 (47b) to steer his team to a total of 193 for 4. Buttler praised Yadav for using angles and his crease to perfection.

 

“He (Suryakumar) played a fantastic innings. We could not quite tie [him] down. He used the angles and his crease really well and he is a fantastic player. We could not execute our plans to him but full credit to him. He played a very good innings,” Butter said.

Reflecting on his own knock, Buttler said: “I have not been feeling my best in the middle. It was good for me to spend time in the middle, find a bit of fluency further on in the innings. I struggled initially, but hopefully I can take some confidence from today and use that for the rest of the tournament.”

Buttler also reserved some praise for young Kartik Tyagi, who made his IPL debut.

“He is a really exciting talent. One thing the IPL always does is unearth fantastic Indian players and he impressed in the nets and worked hard to get his opportunity to make his debut. It was a great moment for him and everyone in the team when he picked up his first wicket.”