Jos Buttler IPL Odds: Rajasthan Royals ace 8/1 to be Top Batter

Jos Buttler is 8/1 to be the IPL's highest run-scorer after the Rajasthan Royals ace scored his second century in the space of 10 days with a sensational unbeaten 107.

England's white-ball captain initially struggled to impose himself on the contest but sparked into life when the seventh wicket fell, scoring 107 runs from just 60 deliveries.

His score against the Kolkata Knight Riders takes him to 250 runs overall for this year's competition and Buttler will have his eyes fixated on finishing as the IPL's top run-scorer for the second time in three years.

After scores of 11, 11 and 13 in his opening three matches of the 2024 IPL season, Buttler got his campaign up and running with a brilliant century in the six-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

England's white-ball captain was dismissed for a disappointing eight against the Gujarat Titans four days later but Buttler returned to his fabulous best at Eden Gardens, staying the course as he crafted an unlikely triumph for the Royals.

Buttler could only muster 25 runs from his first 18 balls and Rajasthan's innings appeared bleak when Sunil Narine claimed the wicket of Rovman Powell, leaving the Royals on 178/7 with three overs remaining.

But as we've witnessed on countless occasions across Buttler's illustrious 15-year career, the England batsman flourishes in the face of adversity.

He started the 18th over by smashing Mitchell Starc for six before adding another 12 to his tally, although Trent Boult sacrificed his wicket with a run out to allow Buttler to keep strike.

Buttler continued his assault in the 19th over, hitting Harshit Rana for two sixes and hauling Rajasthan to 215. Requiring nine runs from the final over, Buttler thumped Varun Chakravarthy's first delivery over long-on before flicking his final ball off his pads to complete the joint-highest run chase in IPL history.

Buttler's 107 is the third-highest individual score of the IPL campaign so far and the Lancashire ace is the first player to hit two centuries in the competition this year.

On his innings, Buttler said: "The worst thing you can do when you are not feeling your best is to fight it and try to force the issue and give your wicket away.

"He (Kumar Sangakkara) just tells me to stay there and at some point, the momentum will change or you'll find your rhythm or one shot will get you going.

"That's been a big part of my play over the last few years—try to stay the course and not get in my own way.”

Buttler's form is imperative to Rajasthan's success and with a fixture against the Mumbai Indians coming next, the 33-year-old has the opportunity to add another healthy volume of runs to his tally.

Virat Kohli Top Batter favourite

Virat Kohli is the 2/1 favourite in the Top Batter market, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru star currently holding the Orange Cap with 361 runs from seven matches.

Even if his best efforts were in vain, Kohli's masterful 113 not out against Rajasthan remains the highest individual score of the 2024 IPL season.

Kohli has averaged 72.20 across his seven innings so far, chalking up 35 fours and 14 sixes.

The highest run-scorer in IPL history, Kohli will be looking to surpass the record he set for most runs in a single season, when he scored 973 in 2016.

Other contenders in the market include Riyan Parag (7/1), Rohit Sharma (8/1) and Heinrich Klaasen (8/1), while veteran Sunil Narine is priced at 9/1 after his score of 109 against Rajasthan moved him to third in the overall standings.

Jaquob Crooke

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