Jos Buttler makes his 100th IPL appearance: Decoding the stats
Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler has completed 100 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. The RR vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match in Jaipur in the IPL 2024 marked his milestone. Buttler is among the most successful foreign batters in the tournament as his numbers are nothing but sensational. He has been a key figure in the RR line-up in recent years. Let's decode his stats.
First Englishman to reach the milestone
Buttler became the first England player and the 63rd overall to complete 100 IPL matches. The dasher debuted with the Mumbai Indians in 2016 before switching to RR in the 2018 season. He currently owns 3,258 IPL runs at an average and strike rate of 37.02 and 147.15, respectively. The tally includes five tons and 19 fifties. His highest score reads 124.
Decoding his IPL numbers
As per ESPNcricinfo, Buttler managed 527 runs across 24 games for MI at a paltry average of 25.09 (50: 1). He has been sensational for the RR, hammering 2,731 runs at 40.76 (SR: 147.38). Only Sanju Samson (3,512) and Ajinkya Rahane (3,098) have clobbered more runs for the Royals. Buttler's average is the highest among batters who have represented RR.
A dream 2022 season
Buttler was on fire in IPL 2022, having hammered 863 runs at 57.53. The tally includes a strike rate of 149.05. He became just the third batter after Virat Kohli and David Warner to score over 800 runs in an IPL season. Buttler equaled Kohli's record of scoring the most hundreds in a single edition of the IPL (four). The latter notched the feat in 2016.
His numbers as an opener
Buttler's IPL returns while opening the innings are certainly jaw-dropping. Having opened in 70 innings before this game, he clobbered 2,679 runs at a magnificent average and strike rate of 40.59 and 149.41, respectively. All five of his IPL centuries have come while opening the proceedings. Only KL Rahul (50.08) and Kohli (44.34) boast better averages as an opener (Minimum: 2,500 runs).
Third-most IPL tons
Butttler's tally of five IPL centuries is the third-most for any player. He is only behind Kohli (7) and Chris Gayle (6) in this regard. Meanwhile, the England star enters his 100th IPL game with 149 maximums in the tournament.