Gilchrist destroys RR for ‘wrong Jos Buttler decision’: ‘Someone needs to be held accountable for monumental mistake'
RR didn't retain Jos Buttler ahead of IPL 2025 and he was purchased by GT in the mega auction.
IPL 2025 has turned into a disaster for RR, as they joined CSK to become the second team to get knocked out of the playoffs race. On Friday, RR faced MI in a must-win fixture in Jaipur, and needed a win. But instead of staging a comeback, the hosts had a massive collapse and were thrashed instead.
Chasing 218 runs, RR were bowled out for 117 in 16.1 overs, skipper Sanju Samson’s absence could be totally felt in the top order as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (13) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (0) departed cheaply. Meanwhile, no. 3 batter Nitish Rana was dismissed for nine runs off 11 balls. Even stand-in captain Riyan Parag (16) failed to have an impact. Meanwhile the middle order consisting of Dhruv Jurel (11), Shimron Hetmyer (0) and Shubham Dubey (15) were swept aside with ease.
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Speaking to Cricbuzz, Australia legend Adam Gilchrist slammed RR’s mega auction strategy in Jeddah last year, and criticised their decision to not retain Jos Buttler. RR retained six players ahead of IPL 2025, and Buttler wasn’t in that list. The franchise also didn’t retain Trent Boult, who took a three-wicket haul for MI on Friday.
“We heard Mike Hussey admit that they (CSK) got it wrong at the auction, and they are out. Someone needs to be accountable for what happened with the decision on Jos Buttler. RR have got it wrong, and they find themselves eliminated as well. So, there has got to be some accountability. I would have thought certainly, internally, they have got to be asking questions. That was a monumental mistake,” Gilchrist said.
Jos Buttler's IPL 2025 form
Buttler was purchased by GT for Rs. 15.75 crore at the mega auction and has been batting at No. 3 instead of his usual opening slot. But he has been a good addition to Shubman Gill’s side, registering 406 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 168.46. Meanwhile, he hammered a match-winning fifty vs RR. From RR, only Jaiswal (439) has more runs than Buttler this season, and Parag is the franchise’s second-highest run-scorer with 282 runs.
