Watch: R Ashwin signs Jos Buttler's two Rajasthan Royals jerseys, video takes internet by storm
The latest chapter in the Ashwin-Buttler friendship came when the England wicketkeeper-batter requested the India veteran to sign his RR jersey and Ashwin obliged.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler have come a long way since their rather infamous verbal duel regarding a run out at the non-striker's end back in IPL 2019. The two cricketers were brought together by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2022 when the Indian all-rounder was bought for ₹5 crore in the mega auction. Since then, Ashwin and Buttler have practised together, batted together in the middle when Ashwin was promoted to number 3 in a few games by RR and even appeared in video interviews. The latest chapter in the Ashwin-Buttler friendship came when the England wicketkeeper-batter requested the India veteran to sign his RR jersey and Ashwin obliged.
In a video shared by RR on their official Twitter handle with the caption: "These two," Ashwin was seen signing Buttler's not one but two RR jersey's that the right-handed batter was wearing.
Buttler ended IPL 2022 with six awards. The most notable one being the Orange Cap for emerging as the highest run-scorer of this year's tournament. Opening the batting for RR, Buttler amassed 863 runs in 17 matches at an average of 57.53 and a strike rate of 149.05. This is the second-most runs scored by a batter in the history of the tournament in a single edition of IPL. Only Virat Kohli has scored more runs in an edition. He had smashed 973 runs in 2016.
Ashwin, on the other hand, had a mixed bag. He played important cameos with the bat including registering his maiden T20 half-century but his form with the ball lacked consistency. Ashwin went for runs in both the playoff matches against Gujarat Titans including the final.
"Ash (Ashwin) has done a great job for us," RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara said at the post-match press conference after RR lost to Gujarat Titans by seven wickets in the IPL final on Sunday.
"Even for Ash, being a legend in terms of what he has achieved on the cricketing pitch, there will be a lot of improvements and thinking to do, especially with his off-spinners and bowl more of it," Sangakkara commented about the team's oldest member, who could manage only 12 wickets in 17 games this season.