Shaky top-order add to Rajasthan Royals' troubles

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After stumbling to a 57-run defeat at the hands of Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler said that the team was not able to recover after losing three wickets in the powerplay.

Rajasthan Royals were unable to chase 194 runs and were bundled out for 136, losing the match by 57 runs. Only Buttler got going with the bat for the Steve Smith-led side with a knock of 70 runs.

The Royals got off to a poor start, falling to 12/3 in the first three overs as Smith (6), Sanju Samson (0), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) were sent back to the pavilion.

"We have just not managed to come together as the top-order in the last three games. We have lost three wickets in the powerplay in the last few games and you don't win many T20 matches from that position. Of course, the powerplay is a time where you have to take the advantage of fielding restrictions, but as players, we haven't performed but that can happen in T20 cricket," Buttler said while replying to an question by ANI during the virtual post-match press conference.

The wicket-keeper batsman also said that the top-order needs to perform if the Royals want to move ahead in the tournament.

"We just lost wickets, Mumbai bowled really well, we never got into our innings. As a batsman you are always vulnerable at the start of your innings, as top-order we did not manage to counteract their opening bowling well enough to get through that period. I think, moving ahead, the top-order is where we want to sort out and play together as a group. In the first two matches our top-order was really firing, and no wonder we enjoyed success in those matches. As top-order we are always putting pressure on us to perform and bat a lot of overs for the team," Buttler said.

Talking about his innings of 70 runs from 44 balls, Buttler said: "I haven't been feeling my best at the middle yet. I am finding my form a little bit, it was good for me to spend some time in the middle against Mumbai, hopefully, I can take some confidence and use that for the rest of the tournament."

Batting first, Mumbai Indians posted a score of 193/4 as Suryakumar Yadav played an unbeaten knock of 79 runs from 47 balls. Kartik Tyagi, who was making his debut for the Royals, finished with figures of 1-36 from his overs and he also managed to take the wicket of Quinton de Kock.

"Kartik Tyagi is a really exciting talent, the one thing the IPL always does is bring about some fantastic Indian players, he has really impressed in the nets and worked really hard to make his debut, everyone is really delighted for him, it was a great moment when he picked up his first IPL wicket," Buttler said.

"Yeah, Suryakumar Yadav played a fantastic inning, we just couldn't tie him down, he used the angles really well, we couldn't execute our plans to him, but full credit to him, he played really well," he added.

Rajasthan Royals is currently at the seventh position in the IPL standings with 4 four points from five matches. The side will next lock horns with Delhi Capitals on Friday, October 9 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.