Jos the Boss

While the Super Kings got only 13 fours, Buttler alone hit nine. While his captain Smith was barely striking at 75, Buttler nearly doubled that strike rate.

He got cracking with a reverse-sweep over point off Jadeja's first over.

Neither Jadeja nor Piyush Chawla, who was introduced into the attack, only in the 13th over, found as much grip and turn as the Royals' spinners had done.

Having seen off testing spells from Chahar and Hazlewood, Buttler laid into Shardul Thakur and Chawla, taking them for 48 off 27 balls.

Buttler raised his fifty off 37 balls by depositing Chawla's wrong'un for six and then rushed the Royals home.

Buttler, who was named the man-of-the-match, later said: “We let a couple of games slip so it's nice to win tonight. I tried to come out with a bit of intensity with my batting, something I felt I didn't have last match.

“I felt more comfortable at the crease. It was a nice feeling. In T20 cricket you can kick yourself for bad form because you never play too many balls, but you have to trust yourself.”

On batting at No 5 position, he said: “If we win it's good. Nah, I'm happy to bat wherever the team needs me.”