TATA IPL 2024: Buttler's Century Leads RR to Victory Over RCB, Outshines Kohli's Ton

In his 100th IPL match, opener Jos Buttler showcased a resurgent form with a stunning century off just 58 balls, overshadowing Virat Kohli's century, to lead Rajasthan Royals to their fourth consecutive victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Their six-wicket triumph over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium solidified their unbeaten streak.

Following Kohli's return to form reminiscent of his classic style, as he scored his eighth IPL century and ninth in T20 cricket with an unbeaten 113 off 72 balls, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a competitive total of 183/3. Buttler, despite facing initial challenges, showcased exemplary attacking play, crafting a precisely scored century of 100 runs off 58 balls, adorned with nine fours and four sixes.

Through his brilliant knock, Buttler has also become only the second batter to score a 100 in his 100th IPL match, after K.L. Rahul. On a pitch where stroke play got better as the game progressed, Buttler was also well-supported by captain Sanju Samson making 69 off 42 balls as RR completed the chase with five balls to spare and was now on top of the points table.

It was the same old story for RCB, who lacked penetration with the ball and barring Reece Topley, others failed to put up a performance of note for the visitors. RR didn’t have an ideal start to the chase of 184 as Yashasvi Jaiswal pulled a short ball from Reece Topley to mid-off, falling for a two-ball duck.

Samson got going with three boundaries, before Buttler scooped a four over Dinesh Karthik’s head, followed by surviving a tough chance and a run-out attempt in the fourth over bowled by Mohammed Siraj. Buttler followed it up by hitting two off-side boundaries off Yash Dayal and proceeded to smack left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar for three fours and a six in an 18-run over as RR made 54/1 in six overs at the end of power-play.Samson pulled leg-spinner Himanshu Sharma twice for fours, one of which Kohli couldn’t catch at mid-wicket. Buttler drove one on the up off Cameron Green, before reaching his fifty in 30 balls. Samson wowed everyone with an upper cut six off Siraj, before hitting two fours and a maximum off Dagar to reach his second fifty of the season in 33 balls.

Whenever the spinners of RCB erred in their lengths, compounded by the presence of dew on the pitch, Buttler and Samson wasted no time in punishing them with boundaries. Buttler displayed impeccable timing, evident in his flat-batting of a slower short ball from Dayal, which sailed over the leaping long-off fielder, and his adept use of the width provided by Topley to steer the ball with precision using his wrists, finding the gap between backward point and deep cover point.

The 148-run partnership came to a halt when Samson mistimed a pull shot off Siraj, resulting in a catch at deep backward square-leg. Despite the quick dismissals of Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel, Buttler and Shimron Hetmyer efficiently chased down the remaining runs. Buttler, in particular, clinched his century with a swivel shot for six to the left of deep square leg, securing a thrilling victory for RR in front of their loyal home fans.