IPL 2023 RR vs PBKS: Why Jos Buttler didn't open the bat with Yashasvi Jaiswal

Add as a preferred source on Google

Rajasthan Royals are taking on Punjab Kings in the IPL 2023 on Wednesday. The Punjab Kings batted first and have posted 197 runs on the board.

Rajasthan Royals will have to go all guns blazing and for that, they would have needed their stat batters to shine, especially the English sensation Jos Buttler. But to much surprise of the viewers, Ravichandran Ashwin paired with Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the batting for the Royals.

Fans were baffled to see Ashwin coming out to bat, and it seemed Jos Buttler had injured his finger.

Buttler may have injured his finger while taking a catch in the Punjab innings. The Royals player completed the catch to dismiss Prabhsimran Singh, who played a brilliant knock of 60 runs off just 34 balls.

But upon completing the catch, Buttler left the field immediately holding one of his left-hand fingers. It looked like the player has made significant damage to his finger which has not allowed him to come out to bat in his usual position. There were speculations he may not bat in the entire match.

RR vs PBKS: Buttler bats at no. 3

But Butlter's injury proved to be not that serious as the batter walked in at no. 3, after Yashasvi Jaiswal departed scoring 11 runs, much to the relief of the Rajasthan faithful.

Hence it seems the ploy to send Ravichandran Ashwin to open the batting was a tactical move. But the Indian all-rounder hasn't justified his promotion as he got dismissed without scoring a run in four balls.

Earlier, Punjab Kings batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa also got a hit on his forearm from a Shikhar Dhawan shot and retired hurt.