07 April,2024 02:56 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kumar Sangakkara, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Pic: File Pic)
Following the Rajasthan Royals' victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets in the IPL 2024 encounter at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, head coach Kumar Sangakkara expressed on Yashasvi Jaiswal's form in the tournament.
RCB star Virat Kohli's century was overshadowed by Jos Buttler's match-winning century which helped RR defeat RCB in the IPL 2024 match in Jaipur on Saturday.
Kumar Sangakkara opened up about Jaiswal's form in the IPL 2024 during the post-match presentation. So far, Jaiswal has only managed to score just 39 runs in four IPL 2024 matches with the highest score being 24 runs. "Jaiswal has had a brilliant year or two not just for RR but also in international cricket, two bad innings do not make anyone a bad player, we know his quality and we just want him to bat long, it was nice to chase down this total without his contribution."
The left-hander had a great run during the India vs England Test series in which he scored 712 runs and broke several records. His international cricket journey started just last year after a breakthrough IPL 2023 with the Royals, ending as the fifth-highest run-getter with 625 runs in 14 matches at an average of over 48, with a century and five fifties.
Also Read: IPL 2024 | "Virat is in form, other players struggling for form": Andy Flower
Sangakkar also praised Jos Buttler for his match-winning knock. The English batsman completed his sixth IPL century in his 100th league match. Before this century, Buttler had scored just 183 runs in his previous ten IPL innings, which included three ducks and a knock of 95 against Sunrisers Hyderabad last year.
"Everyone requires a chat, but the chat doesn't have to be about cricket or technique or anything like that. Jos is the best white-ball opener in the world, and all he needed to do was sit back and ignore some of the noise," he said.
About the team's performance and atmosphere, Sangakkara said, "I thought it was a good toss to win, we were pretty decisive in wanting to chase. RCB started well, but Nandre Burger brought us back with the spinners, and Jos and Sanju were clinical. There have been a lot of honest conversations, Sanju and I have connected well and have been speaking in the off-season as well, the focus has been more inward than outward as a coaching staff this season."
Also Read: IPL 2024 | "Jos is the best white-ball opener in the world": Sangakkara
Coming to the match IPL 2024, RR put RCB on the field first. Despite an opening partnership of 125 runs between skipper Faf Du Plessis (44 in 33 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Virat Kohli (113' in 72 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes), RCB failed to put up a fine total on the board, settling for 183/3 in their 20 overs.
Yuzvendra Chahal (2/34) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Nandre Burger also took a wicket.
In the run-chase, RR did lose Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. But skipper Sanju Samson (69 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) joined forces with Jos Buttler (100' in 58 balls, with nine fours and four sixes), who roared back into form with a century in his 100th IPL match. Despite some quick wickets later, RR chased down the total with five balls and six wickets in hand.
Reece Topley (2/27) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Yash Dayal and Mohammed Siraj took a wicket each but it was not enough.
Buttler took home the 'Player of the Match' award.
RR is at the top spot, having won four of their four games, which gives them eight points. RCB is in the eighth spot with a win in their five matches, giving them only two points.
(With ANI Inputs)
