"I will not be able to hit such shots even if I start batting again" - Aakash Chopra lauds Jos Buttler's knock for Rajasthan Royals against MI

Aakash Chopra has picked Jos Buttler as his Player of the Match for the IPL 2022 encounter between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Buttler smashed 100 runs off 68 deliveries as the Royals set a 194-run target for Rohit Sharma's side after being asked to bat first. The RR bowlers restricted MI to a score of 170/8 to win the match by 23 runs.

Chopra reflected on the Rajasthan Royals' batting performance in a video shared on his YouTube channel. He was effusive in his praise for Buttler, saying:

"My Player of the Day for the first match was Jos Buttler. Firstly, he plays very well against Mumbai and the way he plays white-ball cricket, the way he plays in 360 degrees, it gladdens the heart. To be very honest from a batter's point of view, I will not be able to hit such shots even if I start batting again."

The former India cricketer pointed out that it was a meticulous knock from Buttler and not just about brute power. He explained:

"What a player he is and it seems he will get out now, might get stuck against the leg-spinner, he might get bowled against Bumrah but he hits a lot. He also showed intelligence in the middle, that let me go deeper because at one stage you realized that a century is loading. Jos the boss was serving it really piping hot."

Buttler became the first centurion of IPL 2022 with his blazing effort against the Mumbai Indians. The knock was studded with 11 fours and five sixes and came at an excellent strike rate of 147.05.

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"Yashasvi Jaiswal played a bad shot to get out" - Aakash Chopra on the rest of the Rajasthan Royals' batters

Yashasvi Jaiswal managed to score just one run during the Rajasthan Royals innings [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra reckons Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to start contributing with the bat or else Devdutt Padikkal might replace him at the top of the order. He elaborated:

"Rajasthan Royals were asked to bat first. Yashasvi played a bad shot to get out. Yashasvi - you will have to score runs else Devdutt Padikkal will be breathing down your neck. You are getting the chance to open, don't throw it away. It has been two matches, he has played loose shots on both occasions."

The reputed commentator concluded by highlighting that Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer also played their part in helping the Rajasthan Royals post a massive score.

He observed:

"Devdutt comes and he also gets out. Then you start thinking that the team might get stuck a little because they are playing six proper batters and five proper bowlers, which is not an ideal combination. Sanju batted really well till the time he was there. Shimron Hetmyer carried on from where he left and Hetmyer is in absolute red-hot form."

Samson scored 30 runs off 21 deliveries and strung together an 82-run third-wicket partnership with Buttler. Hetmyer scored a belligerent 35 off just 14 balls to provide the finishing touches to the Rajasthan Royals' innings.