"Two bad innings does not make anyone bad...": RR DoC Sangakkara on Jaiswal after win against RCB

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 7 (ANI): Following his side's six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Rajasthan Royals (RR) Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara said that opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is a quality player and just needs to bat long. Virat Kohli's blitzkrieg century went in vain as Jos Buttler's thunderous hundred lit up the Sawai Mansingh Stadium to power Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday.

Following the win, Sangakkara said during the post-match presentation about Jaiswal, who has scored just 39 runs in four matches with the best score of 24, "Jaiswal has had a brilliant year or two not just for RR but also in international cricket, two bad innings do not make anyone a bad player, we know his quality and we just want him to bat long, it was nice to chase down this total without his contribution."

Jaiswal's poor show in IPL comes just after an incredible Test series against England from January-March, in which he scored 712 runs in five matches, including two double centuries. His international cricket journey started just last year after a breakthrough IPL 2023 with the Royals, ending as fifth-highest run-getter with 625 runs in 14 matches at an average of over 48, with a century and five fifties.

Sangakkara also heaped praises on batter Jos Buttler, who scored an unbeaten century in his 100th IPL match. This was Buttler's sixth IPL century, which came after a long period of struggle. Before this century, Buttler had scored just 183 runs in his previous ten IPL innings, which included three ducks and a knock of 95 against Sunrisers Hyderabad last year.

"Everyone requires a chat, but the chat doesn't have to be about cricket or technique or anything like that. Jos is the best white-ball opener in the world, and all he needed to do was sit back and ignore some of the noise," he said.

About the team's performance and atmosphere, Sangakkara said, "I thought it was a good toss to win, we were pretty decisive in wanting to chase. RCB started well, but Nandre Burger brought us back with the spinners, and Jos and Sanju were clinical. There have been a lot of honest conversations, Sanju and I have connected well and have been speaking in the off-season as well, the focus has been more inward than outward as a coaching staff this season."

Coming to the match, RR put RCB to field first. Despite an opening partnership of 125 runs between skipper Faf Du Plessis (44 in 33 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Virat Kohli (113* in 72 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes), RCB failed to put up a fine total on the board, settling for 183/3 in their 20 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal (2/34) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Nandre Burger also took a wicket.

In the run-chase, RR did lose Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck. But skipper Sanju Samson (69 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) joined forces with Jos Buttler (100* in 58 balls, with nine fours and four sixes), who roared back into form with a century in his 100th IPL match. Despite some quick wickets later, RR chased down the total with five balls and six wickets in hand.

Reece Topley (2/27) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB. Yash Dayal and Mohammed Siraj took a wicket each but it was not enough.

Buttler took home the 'Player of the Match' award.

RR is at the top spot, having won four of their four games, which gives them eight points. RCB is in the eighth spot with a win in their five matches, giving them only two points. (ANI)