Xtra Time Web Desk: Will Rajasthan Royal’s key batter Jos Buttler bounce back to form in IPL 2022 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens on Tuesday night? The England cricketer is going through a slump after starting the ongoing season with a bang. Buttler scored three hundreds but his last five innings he produced only one 30 plus score. The Rajasthan Royals opener looked quite relaxed during the training session at the Eden Gardens on Monday.
Sanju Samson led side is in a dilemma whether to go in with both Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Sen. In that case Obed McCoy will have to sit out. Kiwi James Neesham can play as an all-rounder. Keeping in mind the nature of Eden Gardens strip. Royals’ pacers Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy were seen sweating it in the middle along with fast bowling mentor Lasith Malinga. The three RR fast bowlers were seen focussing on bowling a good line and length.
The Royals’ spin twin of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzuvendra Chahal will have to play a major role in the Qualifier 1 against Gujarat as their eight overs will be crucial in the context of the game. Chahal, who is the Purple Cap holder with 26 wickets so far was seen in a jovial mood at the practice session on Monday. Ashwin too has done a decent job so far with the ball.
One batter on whom Rajasthan Royals will be relying on is their captain Sanju Samson. It has been a hot and cold season for RR captain, scoring 374 runs so far from 14 games at an average of 28.77. But the important aspect is the rate at which Samson has scored the runs. His strike rate so far in the season is 147.24. Samson looked confident while batting at the nets. The cricketer from Kerala will also look forward to making a statement for being overlooked by the selectors yet again.
Caribbean batter Shimron Hetmyer will also be a key player for Rajasthan Royals. The hard hitting batter from Guyana has been the main player for RR in the middle order. His strike rate of 163.18 has been the best for Royals’ in the season so far.
Despite starting well, Rajasthan Royals left it late to seal the qualification. While they managed to win their last two games, their batting hasn’t clicked. The Sanju Samson-led outfit boast of both the Orange and Purple Cap holders this season — Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal.
The early pacesetters had a mid-season wobble but gathered their wits towards the end to seal the top-two following a nervy win late last week against Lucknow Super Giants.
For Gujarat Titans, it’s the opportunity to play in front of a capacity home crowd in Ahmedabad. For Rajasthan Royals, this is a chance to pay a perfect tribute to Shane Warne, who led them to their only title in 2008.