Buttler banishes embarrassment to steer Titans to RCB win

Buttler is playing his first IPL season with the Titans after being released by Rajasthan Royals last year

Indian Premier League, Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 169-8 (20 overs): Livingstone 54 (40), Jitesh 33 (21); Siraj 3-19

Gujarat Titans 170-2 (17.5 overs): Buttler 73* (39)

Gujarat Titans won by eight wickets

Scorecard

Jos Buttler said he was motivated by "a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket" and his mistakes behind the stumps as he led Gujarat Titans to an eight-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.

Buttler, who gave up the England white-ball captaincy after their Champions Trophy exit, accelerated after a careful start to make 73 not out and expertly steer home a chase of 170 with 13 balls to spare.

Batting at number three, he took only nine from his first 10 balls before a pull for four and two sixes, the first a top-edge over the wicketkeeper, got him going.

He finished with five fours and six sixes in his 39-ball knock as he put on 75 with opener Sai Sudharsan and an unbroken 63 with Sherfane Rutherford.

Buttler's commanding innings came after he dropped RCB opener Phil Salt and missed a stumping chance to dismiss another England team-mate in Liam Livingstone, who top-scored with 54 in the hosts 169-8.

"I was pretty embarrassed," said Buttler, who made 54 and 39 in his previous two innings at this year's IPL.

"The only thing I can think of is I was trying to throw it [the catch] up a bit early [to celebrate]. I barely got a glove on it. It hit me in the chest.

"Due to that embarrassment I was pretty determined to score some runs."

England's failed Champions Trophy campaign, where they did not win a match, was their third disappointing tournament in a row under Buttler.

He was unable to find his best form with the bat, with just one half-century in 11 international innings after he began the year with a 68 in the first T20 against India in January.

"I have had a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket so was trying to make sure I was out there giving my best [against RCB]," Buttler said.

"I was trying to play with lots of freedom and intent."

As well as Buttler's misses, Gujarat dropped two further catches which allowed RCB, who had won their previous two matches, to recover somewhat from 42-4 and 104-6.

Livingstone was dropped on nine and had 21 when Buttler missed the chance to stump him. After starting slowly, Livingstone hit one four and five sixes.

Gujarat seamer Mohammed Siraj took 3-19 against the franchise that released him last year.