Buttler's presence brings positive energy to the team: Samson

In one of the most awaited clashes of the weekend, Rajasthan Royals thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 72 runs in the first doubleheader on Sunday, April 2, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. 

The Royals have continued their sublime performance from the last edition of the Indian Premier League, where they finished second and will be aiming to go a step further this year. 

After being asked to bat first, the Royals were off to a flying start in the powerplay as Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal forged an 85-run stand for the opening wicket, their highest score in the first six overs in the history of the tournament. 

The England batter smashed a 22-ball 54 to lay a solid foundation for the visiting side along with half-centuries from Jaiswal and skipper Sanju Samson that powered the Royals to 203 for the loss of five wickets in the first innings.  

In the post-match interaction, Samson credited the role of Buttler and shared insights on the calming influence he has on the team, especially the youngsters. 

"His (Jos Buttler) presence brings a lot of positive energy to the team. You can see the way Yashasvi Jaiswal is batting this season. It has to rub on to the youngsters, and his role, like everyone’s, is equally important," Samson said. 

"He looks a little bit of a serious kind of a guy, but he has a lot of fun on the inside, in the dressing room as well as in the team bus. He likes to talk to people, and people are learning a lot from him,” he further added. 

The captain also believes that the team has quality domestic talent who can have a breakthrough season for the Royals and help them win the coveted title. 

"A lot of youngsters in our team, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, are really pumped up because they have had a really strong domestic season."

"You can make that out from the way Yashasvi Jaiswal batted today. Definitely, he has had a good start, and he is going to have a great season," he said. 

The Royals will now head to Guwahati for their home team against Punjab Kings on April 5 and an afternoon encounter at the same venue on April 8 against the Delhi Capitals.