IPL 2023: RR opener Jos Buttler eyes 3,000-run mark
The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season will be underway on March 31 with the blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans. Rajasthan Royals, the runners-up of 2022, will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening match on April 2. Jos Buttler, who bagged the Orange Cap last season, will lead their batting attack. He is set to complete 3,000 IPL runs.
Buttler requires 169 runs to attain this feat
Buttler, who has also represented Mumbai Indians (MI), has racked up 2,831 runs at an average of 39.87 in the IPL. He has slammed 15 fifties and five tons in the tournament. Notably, four of his centuries came in 2022. He is 169 shy of reaching the milestone of 3,000 IPL runs. So far, only 20 players have unlocked this achievement to date.
Buttler could attain this feat for the Royals
As of now, Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson are the only players with over 3,000 runs for the Royals in the IPL. Buttler could join the elite list this season. He is currently their fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament, also behind Shane Watson (2,474). The former presently has 2,304 runs for the Royals at an average of 46.08 (19 fifty-plus scores).
Buttler was on fire in 2022
Buttler was on fire in the previous season after RR retained him for a whopping Rs. 10 crore. 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 most hundreds in a single edition of IPL (four). The latter notched the feat in 2016.
Buttler has an IPL ton in playoffs
Buttler hammered a 60-ball 106* against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2022. He became only the sixth player to have scored an IPL hundred in playoffs. Buttler also broke Warner's record of smacking the most runs in the playoffs (single season).
Buttler set to reach 10,000 T20 runs
If Buttler replicates his run, he will unlock another achievement. Buttler is set to become just the second England batter with 10,000 runs in T20 cricket. Buttler, with 9,407 runs, is only behind Alex Hales among Englishmen (10,916). The former also has an opportunity to break Luke Wright's record of slamming seven T20 tons. Buttler is tied with Jason Roy at present (6).
