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Following his side's win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the half-centurion Jos Buttler reflected on his lean patch and how some technical issues had hindered his ability to pick the ball well.
Buttler continued his return back to form, becoming the only fifth member of the 14,000 run club in T20s and cracking his second successive fifty in the tournament against LSG at Lucknow on Sunday, scoring a 37-ball 60 with 11 fours. Speaking during the post-match presentation on his milestone of 14,000 T20 runs, he said, "No (if he is numbers man). Someone just told me a couple of numbers. I have been around for a while. And yeah, nice to be back scoring runs." Further reflecting on his lean patch this year, Burttler admitted to facing struggles in picking up the ball, something that GT's batting coach Matthew Hayden noticed as well. He also spoke on spending time with Hayden and picking his brains and finding time just to think, which helped him overcome the run of bad form. "I had a bit of a lean patch in the last few months. So nice to find some form and contribute to another win. (how did you turn it around?) Actually had a little bit of space from the game and time to just kind of think. And it sort of just came to me. I have just been focusing a lot in the weeks I have been here on my setup and my basics. I think a few technical issues maybe crept into my game, which actually allowed me not really seeing the ball that well. So it's a hard game if you're not picking up the ball well. So I have just been focusing on everything pre delivery and then backing that. As I said, I have played for 15 years. I will know what to do when I get in," he said. He had a T20 World Cup to forget before this tournament, scoring just 87 runs in eight innings at an average of 10.87, with a best score of 26. So far in IPL, he has 176 runs in four matches at an average of 44.00 and a strike rate of over 158, with two fifties. On chats with Hayden, he added, "He just asked, actually one of the first few sessions, how well are you watching the ball? It does not look like you are tracking it that well. So, you know, great players like him with the most simple advice, which is nice. And yeah, he has been great. I have really enjoyed spending time with him. Obviously, he has got a big presence and that aura. So when he speaks, you listen." Concluding the post-match proceedings, he said that it has been great to have his family around in India during the tournament. "It is great to have them (family) here. Obviously, you know, the cricket is high intensity and it is busy. So it is nice to have them here and distractions away from the game and getting, you know, spend time with them," he signed off. GT is in the fifth spot with two wins and two losses, with four points. LSG has sunk to sixth spot, having the same win-loss record. Put to bat first, LSG scored 164/8, with only Aiden Markram (30 in 21 balls, with five fours and a six) crossing the 20-run mark and Krishna picking 4/28 in his spell. Later during the chase, fifties from Gill (56 in 40 balls, with six fours and a six) and Buttler (60 in 37 balls, with 11 fours) helped GT reach the target safely with seven wickets and eight balls left. (ANI)
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