"He converted the ball into a flying saucer" - Aakash Chopra lauds Jos Buttler's match-winning knock in RR-DC IPL 2022 clash

Aakash Chopra has praised Jos Buttler for playing a match-winning knock in last night's IPL 2022 encounter between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Delhi Capitals (DC).

Buttler smashed 116 runs off just 65 balls to help the inaugural IPL champions set a 223-run target for Rishabh Pant's side. Their bowlers then restricted the Capitals to a score of 207/8 to win the match by 15 runs.

While reviewing the RR-clash in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted that Buttler is in a league of his own in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. He elaborated:

"Jos baba, how well you hit. He converted the ball into a flying saucer. He has already hit three centuries, two back to back, stop yaar. Just the Jos thing, just the boss thing. Jos is serving piping hot. Everyone else is on one side and Jos Buttler is in a different Orange Cap fight."

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator did acknowledge that Devdutt Padikkal was the aggressive partner at the start of the Royals innings. He said:

"Let's be honest, Buttler started slowly. Devdutt Padikkal was running faster at the start. He is Indian cricket's future. He likes this ground, he played extremely well with Virat Kohli last year on this ground. The performance was not that good this year but that also is a thing of the past. He batted very well in this match."

Buttler and Padikkal strung together a 155-run partnership for the opening wicket in just 15 overs. Padikkal scored a 35-ball 54 with the help of seven fours and two sixes.

---

"Jos Buttler converted the Wankhede Stadium into a no-fly zone" - Aakash Chopra

Jos Buttler was duly chosen as the Player of the Match [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that there is no stopping Jos Buttler once he gets into his flow. He observed:

"While everyone else's wagon runs on the ground, when Jos Buttler's wagon gathers pace, it flies. The balls flew all around the park, he hit a lot. He converted the Wankhede Stadium into a no-fly zone."

The 44-year-old concluded by highlighting the contrast between Buttler's century against the Capitals and his two previous ones. He explained:

"He has been absolutely rockstar. This was a slightly different innings. In the last two centuries, around the 40-run mark you knew that a hundred is loading, he was steadily going towards that. That was not the case this time around, he said he will put everyone on remand right from the start, fours and sixes on demand."

Buttler is head and shoulders above the other batters in the Orange Cap race. The England wicket-keeper batter has amassed 491 runs in seven matches to date. KL Rahul, who is in the second spot, trails him by a whopping margin of 226 runs.