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Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson explained the move to send Ravichandran Ashwin in at No. 3 against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Thursday. He stated that it was an attempt to utilize the bowler's all-round skills.
RR got off to a blazing start in their chase of 193 in their fifth IPL 2022 match as Jos Buttler hammered the Gujarat bowlers. However, following Devdutt Padikkal’s (0) early dismissal, Rajasthan stunned fans and critics by sending Ashwin in at No. 3. The off-spinner was out for 8 off as many balls. RR eventually succumbed to a 37-run loss.
At the post-match conference, Samson was asked about the curious move to promote Ashwin in the batting order. He replied:
“Ashwin bhai has been doing really well in the top order. If you see the last game, he had a crucial partnership with (Shimron) Hetmyer. We have been using him really well. He batted well against Rashid Khan, using all that experience. I feel that he is a very useful all-rounder. It’s all about using him at the right moment and in the right situations.”
In the last match against Lucknow, Ashwin was sent in at No. 6 after Rajasthan had stumbled to 67 for 4. He made 28 off 23 before being retired out.
Trent Boult's absence due to a niggle hampered RR’s chances against Gujarat. Samson, however, asserted that he was happy with the overall team combination. He said:
“We have been doing a great job with our combination and team selection. Boult went through a small niggle in the training session and that’s why we had to make a small change. Otherwise, we think we have a really good batting unit and a bowling unit as well. I am happy with the combination.”
Jimmy Neesham replaced Boult in the playing XI for Thursday’s match. He bowled three overs for 29 without claiming a wicket. With the bat, he scored 17 off 15.
“I play every match to go out there and contribute” - Samson plays down concerns over batting form
In almost every IPL season, Samson begins with a bang with the bat, but his performances flatten out as the tournament progresses. This year too, a similar pattern is developing. The RR skipper, however, stated that it’s just the nature of the T20 league.
Asked about his diminishing returns with the willow, he responded:
“I play every match to go out there and contribute for any team I play for. I have been focusing on my game. I have been practicing well. I have been batting well, but in this tournament you go through a lot of highs and lows. I had two good games at the start but in the next two games I didn’t get any runs. It’s a matter of having that confidence and coming back strong again.”
Samson kicked off IPL 2022 with a quickfire 55 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. His subsequent scores in the tournament read 30, 8, 13 and 11.
RR are third in the table, having won three of their five matches and losing the other two.
