No One Sells It: Kevin Pietersen Makes Big Statement On What Has Made TATA IPL 2022 Incredible

Jos Buttler has been in red hot form in this year's IPL 2022 and former England captain Kevin Pietersen reckons that the kind of knocks the Englishman has played this season has brought the IPL alive.

Pune: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen lavished huge praise on England opener Jos Buttler for bringing the IPL 2022 alive and kicking, adding that he has run out of adjectives and superlatives to describe the kind of impact the 31-year-old has had this season. Buttler has hit a purple patch in IPL 2022 by slamming three centuries against Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals, two of which came in back to back matches.

With 491 runs in seven innings at an average of 81.83 and a strike rate of 161.51, the Englishman is the leading run-scorer of the tournament.

“We are running out of adjectives and superlatives. The TATA IPL is made incredible by the innings like these. The spectators love this, we love this, everybody in the studio loved this. I mean some of the shots he played you can’t buy them. You can’t practice that (because) no one sells it,” said Pietersen on Cricket Live show on Star Sports.

“You either have it or you don’t. He’s (Buttler) such a fine talent and in such a sublime form. When he starts to strike like that sometimes you’ve just got to say you know what, this guy is so good. He took his time and capitalised,” added Pietersen.

In Rajasthan’s last match against Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium, Buttler yet again set the stage on fire, slamming nine fours and as many sixes in a 65-ball 116 to take Rajasthan to 222/2. With Rajasthan set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore at MCA Stadium in Pune on Tuesday, Pietersen has backed Buttler to produce more swashbuckling performances in the tournament.

“Jos did an unbelievable job against Delhi Capitals (in the previous game). I am sure he’ll continue to do so because when you’re in this kind of form in the tournament, you’ll just bat and bat and bat, especially when the wickets are this good. So, I don’t expect him to change the way he plays.”

India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was in agreement with what Pietersen said of Buttler’s belligerent run with the bat.

“We are only halfway through the tournament and he’s already scored 490-odd runs. Generally, people score that many runs in an entire season. He’s batting extremely well this season.”

(With Agency Inputs)