IPL 2022, RR vs KKR: Jos Buttler joins in elite list of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle

Mumbai: Rajasthan Royals trounced Kolkata Knight Riders at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday, with Jos Buttler hitting his second century of the IPL 2022 season. Buttler’s century was his third in the Indian Premier League, after scoring 124 in 2021.

Buttler has now made two hundred in 16 days, with scores of 70 not out and 54 sandwiched between them. The IPL 2022 Orange Cap holder began the season with a fast 35 against Sunrisers Hyderabad before smashing a century against five-time winners Mumbai Indians at the DY Patil Stadium on April 2. He then went on to score an unbroken 70 against Royal Challengers Bangalore before being removed for a poor total against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Buttler scored 54 against the Gujarat Titans, who are now in first place in the table. On Monday, he walked into the batting order as one of the most dangerous opening batsmen in the world, reasserting his dominance over what is widely regarded as the top T20 tournament in the world. He started carefully against Umesh Yadav in the opening over, but then smashed a century against the rest of the bowling attack.

Following Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Hashim Amla, Shane Watson, and Chris Gayle, Buttler is the sixth hitter to score over 100 runs in an IPL season.

Kohli of the Royal Challengers Bangalore surpassed multiple records in 2016, amassing 973 runs and four hundred in a perfect season. Chris Gayle, who played with RCB at the time, struck two hundred in a period of 15 days in 2011. In 2017, Hashim Amla did so, and in 2018, Shane Watson did so.

For any hitter hoping to make an impression in the IPL, today is a special day. Brendon McCullum produced a barnstorming 158 not out for KKR versus RCB in the inaugural ever IPL match 14 years ago on April 18, 2008. McCullum, who is currently the head coach of KKR, stood in the dugout and watched Buttler excite the Brabourne fans with some spectacular shots.