Gujarat Titans (GT) continued their brilliant run in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) as they outclassed Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 37 runs at DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Thursday (April 14).
Asked to bat first, the Titans rode on skipper Hardik Pandya’s 53-ball 87* to pile up a massive 192/4 in their 20 overs and later restricted the Royals to 155/9.
Apart from GT’s dominance, the match also grabbed the headlines for a bizarre move during RR’s run chase. The inaugural IPL champions tried something out of the box as they promoted off-spinner R Ashwin to bat at No.3 after the dismissal of opener Devdutt Padikkal in the second over.
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Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar was left perplexed by the decision and he termed it as "baffling" and "ridiculous".
"Especially when Sanju Samson is the next guy in, you did not like him at No.4, but then you had Yashasvi Jaiswal, but you dropped him. You had the option of sending Samson at No.3 with Buttler going in the way he was. I can understand something out of the box, pinch-hitter when there are two steady batters. But Buttler was going hell for leather, but then you send in Ashwin. It was a bizarre move. I think Ashwin was sent as a pinch-hitter but there was no need of it because you do that when the score is 215-220 and you slightly doubt your ability to score that quickly so you need someone out there to set the cat among the pigeons," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'.
"But with Buttler, the way he started, there was no need for it and you also send a message to the opposition that you are slightly insecure about the score that we have to try something dramatically different plus the fact that a wicket that falls, there something psychological to it. I think it was a ridiculous move," he added.
Ashwin failed to make a mark while batting at No. 3 as he was dismissed for run-a-ball 8 by GT pacer Lockie Ferguson.
Besides Buttler (54 off 24 balls), no RR batter managed to touch the 30-run mark as the franchise suffered their third defeat in five games this season.
Rajasthan Royals are currently occupying the third spot on the points table and they will face Kolkata Knight Riders in their next match on April 18.
