IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals need to send back in-form Jos Buttler early

Jos Buttler ton — Jos Buttler of Rajasthan Royals had been their batting mainstay with already two centuries this season. Image Credit: Sportzpics for IPL

Kolkata: Delhi Capitals, buoyed by an emphatic win on Wednesday, need to find a way to get the in-form Jos Buttler early when they take on Rajasthan Royals in a potentially absorbing clash in IPL 2022 on Friday. The match has been shifted from Pune to Wankhede Stadium as a precautionary measure by the BCCI in view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the Delhi camp.

It was a one-sided affair for Rishabh Pant’s men against Punjab Kings when the latter imploded to be 115 all out and hand an easy chase to Delhi. Royals, on the other hand, rode on Buttler’s second century of the season before prevailing in a close match against Kolkata Knight Riders in their last game. The Pink Army is now third in the table while sixth-placed Delhi need to look for the much-needed consistency to get their campaign back on track.

MORE ON IPL 2022

Asked about their upcoming encounter against Royals, Delhi allrounder Lalit Yadav said: “They have been one of the most consistent teams in the tournament so far and have been playing quality cricket. However, we will focus on ourselves, we will go with our plans and try to execute them.”

Speaking to the Capitals media about the team’s atmosphere after the win, Yadav said: “It was a different vibe altogether. You know, when we win, everything seems to look positive, no matter how many mistakes we commit. That’s a really great thing for the team, especially when the next match is in two days. The momentum we’ve gained is really important and we will go into the next game with confidence.”

A sense of deja vu prevailed ahead of Delhi’s match on Wednesday when Tim Seifert, their New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter turned out to be the sixth positive case in their camp - making the fate of the match uncertain for a while and raising memories of the 2021 edition when the India leg had to be suspended indefinitely.

Royals enjoy an edge on reputation, what with Buttler’s irresistible form against the Knights and senior leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (5-40) breaking the back of KKR with a four-wicket over, really making them the side to beat. If Chahal was the show-stopper, Ravi Ashwin’s magic delivery which sent back Andre Russell has also been a trending subject on social media.