STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsIt was yet another Jos Buttler special that helped Rajasthan seal a spot in their second IPL Final. Buttler’s fourth century of the season saw Bangalore exit after a thumping win against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator. There were plenty of stats from the second qualifier, here are a few of them:
Buttler equals Kohli’s record
When required the most, Buttler stepped in and aced the challenge. With 718 runs at the start of the second Qualifier, Buttler already was the proud owner of the Orange Cap.
Chasing an average total, Buttler was on the charge from the start. He registered his half-century in just 23 balls, his joint fastest of the season and joint second fastest in the IPL.
Thanks to a drop by Dinesh Karthik when he was on 66, Buttler went on to register his fourth ton of the season. By virtue of it, he became the second batter after Virat Kohli in 2016 to hit four tons in a season of IPL. Overall, this was Buttler’s fifth century in the IPL, which is also levelled with Kohli for second. Chris Gayle leads the list with six.
Buttler becomes the 3rd batter to smash 800 runs
If only, Buttler would have hit two or more half-centuries in the second half of the league stage, he would be even closer to Kohli’s monumental season in 2016. If he has to beat Kohli’s 973 runs from 2016, Buttler needs to score 150 in the Finals.
Nevertheless, it has been an exceptional season for the Rajasthan opener. He has scored 824 runs at an average of 58.9 and a strike rate of 151.5. En route his century against Bangalore, he became the third batter after Kohli (973) and David Warner (848) in 2016 to score 800+ runs in a season of IPL.
Cascade of boundaries
In this edition, Buttler has scored 70.6 percent of his runs through boundaries (512 out of 824). He has hit 78 fours and 45 sixes. His 45 sixes are the most for a batsman from Rajasthan in a season of the IPL. Overall, his 45 sixes hit this season are the fourth most by a batter.
In total, Buttler has hit 123 boundaries, which is the most by a batter in a season of IPL. Kohli in his 2016 season had hit 121 boundaries, the highest then.
Jos bossing his way in the play-offs/Finals
After suffering a mediocre second half in the league stage, Buttler came good for Rajasthan in the play-offs. In the first Qualifier, he scored a 56-ball 89 against Gujarat Titans at Eden Gardens. In the second Qualifier, he bettered it by scoring an unbeaten 106.
In total, Buttler has scored 195 runs in the play-offs this season. In a season of the IPL, his 195 runs are the most for a batter in play-offs/Finals. Also, he became the second batter after Rajat Patidar to score a century and a half-century in the same season of the IPL in these stages. Previously, Warner in the 2016 season had scored 190 runs in the play-off/Final stages.
The unmatchable Buttler
By extending his tally to 824 with a century against Bangalore, Buttler has reached to a point where, none of the batter can snatch the Orange Cap from him. The second in list is KL Rahul with 616 runs, batter from a team that has already exited the tournament.
Between Buttler and Rahul, there is a gap of 208 runs after this match. This difference between the top two run scorers is the highest in a season of IPL. In no other season of the IPL, there has been a difference of more than 150 runs between the top two runs scorers.
Siraj’s forgetful season
One among the three retained by Bangalore, Mohammed Siraj carried a lot of expectation. However, that has all been washed away after a poor season of IPL 2022.
Powerplay was Siraj’s strong suit. But, in that phase, he conceded at an economy of 10.2, the worst for a bowler with 15+ overs in a season of IPL in the first six overs. In addition, he was carted for 31 sixes in this season. The 31 sixes are the most conceded by a bowler in a season of IPL. Out of those 31 sixes 17 came in the first six overs, which is also the most for a bowler in a season of IPL.
Most sixes conceded in the first over of an innings
The first over of the innings generally sets the momentum for a team, let be batting or bowling. Bangalore bowlers in this season have been on the back-foot most of the time. In this season, their bowlers have conceded six maximums in the first over of the innings. In no other season, a team has conceded more sixes in the first over than Bangalore in 2022. Prior to this season, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings in 2018 had conceded five.
Strength turned into a weakness
Prior to this season, Faf du Plessis had an average of 53.1 (9 dismissals) and a strike rate of 152.2 against left-arm pacers in 49 innings. This was his best record against a bowling type in the IPL. To add to this fact, in 2021, he was dismissed only twice by left-arm pacers at an average of 111 and strike rate of 154.2.
But, this season, his numbers have gone in polar opposites. In 14 innings, he has been dismissed seven times at an average of 17. In a season of the IPL, this is the most times a batter has been dismissed to a left-arm pacer. Virat Kohli in 2008 and Ruturaj Gaikwad in this season, have six dismissals, joint second most.
The “Parag” factor in the field
Even though Riyan Parag hasn’t got many opportunities with the bat, he has been exceptional in the field. Apart from the Patidar catch he dropped in this match, there have been very few catches that have slipped out of Parag’s hands.
In this edition, Parag has bagged 16 catches with a catching efficiency of 88.9 percent. No fielder in this edition has taken more catches than the young man from Assam. Overall, in a season of IPL, only AB de Villiers (19) in 2016 has taken more catches as a non-wicket-keeper. Among Indian fielders, he is the only fielder to have 15+ catches in a season.
