IPL 2018, RR vs CSK: Jos Buttler guards the Rajasthan Royals’ fort against Chennai Super Kings

Buttler had very little support around him, save K Gowtham’s impact-cameo at the death, as Royals chased 178 for victory. He was up against a very experienced bowling side and MS Dhoni’s masterful captaincy. The Taunton boy took Royals over the line, ensuring a stay of execution.

Buttler started off with three consecutive fours against David Willey. Then he accounted for two boundaries and an over-boundary against Harbhajan Singh. It felt like he was playing on a different surface, as the veteran offie had been teasing with makeshift opener Ben Stokes at the other end. Stokes dismissal off Harbhajan always looked just a matter of time.

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Ajinkya Rahane at No. 3 got a peach from Ravindra Jadeja that turned and jumped. Dhoni pre-empted it and had a slip in place. From that point onwards, it became a contest between Buttler and CSK. The former had become judicious in his strokeplay after the first six overs, concentrating on milking the spinners and picking the loose balls to hit fours. A couple off Karn Sharma brought up his fourth IPL half-ton on the spin.

Sanju Samson, too, was growing in confidence. But he got out because of a horrible mix-up with Buttler. Dhoni had started to choke the opponents in the middle overs and Samson somewhat succumbed under the pressure. Prashant Chopra’s batting offered promise, but once again Dhoni’s field setting did the trick. The CSK captain pushed the mid-wicket a little squarer and Chopra chipped a Shardul Thakur delivery straight to Dwayne Bravo there.

Run rate started to dip for Royals and the asking rate climbed. For a brief period Buttler got stuck as well. Twenty-eight runs were required off the last two overs, when Gowtham hit two sixes against Willey. It swung the momentum back in the hosts’ favour. CSK’s fielding and bowling also were not up to the mark towards the end. Shane Watson and Dhoni gave a couple of reprieves to Buttler. And no one charged in, when Buttler skied a Bravo delivery. He finished the job with a six. Royals won by four wickets with one ball remaining.

Raina’s feisty half-ton in vain
“We had a high-committee meeting, and the coach said we should bat first,” Dhoni said with a chuckle after winning the toss. Sitting pretty in the second spot and a Playoff berth all but secured, the CSK skipper had the leeway to experiment. His team is usually comfortable at chasing down targets. The decision to bat first here had been sort taking the side out of their comfort zone. Given the conditions, a cracked, dry pitch, Dhoni’s choice to bat first was pretty pragmatic as well.

Suresh Raina scored a half century for CSK. (Source: BCCI)

The stage was set for the spinners to make merry, still Rahane missed a trick by not unleashing a fast bowler against Ambati Rayudu. In the form of his life, the CSK floater took three fours off Gowtham and Ankit Sharma before he chopped the very first delivery from Jofra Archer on to the stumps.

Raina came and got a half-volley to open his account with a boundary. A poor call from umpire Yeshwant Barde that declared a very legitimate delivery from Archer a wide ball on a free-hit, presented the left-hander an extra opportunity to take another four in that over. Raina looked to be in good touch. More importantly, he and Shane Watson had assessed the pitch correctly. Together they laid the foundation for an imposing total through an 86-run second wicket partnership.

Archer returned to dismiss Watson, courtesy a spectacular catch from Buttler. But CSK had been going at over nine runs per over. Raina was aggressive without being carefree. He rotated the strike and feasted on loose balls. When Gowtham gave him room outside the off stump, Raina hit it to the point boundary. And as Ish Sodhi tossed one up, the CSK batsman slog-swept it over the deep mid-wicket fence. In between, an inside out cover drive off Gowtham was magnificent. Raina’s 35-ball 52 had kept the visitors in the ascendancy.

Royals pulled things back after his departure. Between the 14th and the 17th over they conceded only 23 runs. Sodhi bowled an outstanding over, giving away just two runs. But Dhoni broke the shackles with a six off Unadkat and 34 runs off the last three overs.