WATCH: Joe Root Can’t Save 6 Runs Despite Spectacular Boundary Jump on IPL Debut

Rajasthan Royals batter Joe Root missed out on an opportunity to play a game-changing role in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2023 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. To be fair to him, he did try his best in pulling off a coup but it was just that kind of a catching chance.

Been stationed at the straighter boundary alongside Jos Buttler, both the Englishmen were spotted running from end to end tonight. It was on the second delivery of the last over when SRH batter Abdul Samad (17*) hit a Sandeep Sharma (0/48) delivery to Root at long-on. While the 32-year old player did his best to leap and get a hand on the ball, he could neither grab a catch nor save runs in spite of a valiant effort.

In what will technically be remembered as a dropped catch, Root followed Impact Player Obed McCoy (0/13) in erring on the field in the 20th over. With Samad beneficiary of reprieves on both the occasions, he wouldn’t have been able to make the most of these chances had it not been for Sharma’s no-ball on what ended up being the penultimate ball of the match.

Joe Root Can’t Save 6 Runs Despite Spectacular Boundary Jump on IPL Debut

Needing four runs off a ball, Samad eventually hit his second six of the match to power Sunrisers to a thumping 4-wicket victory. Readers must note that the visitors sealing a 215-run chase was the highest successful run-chase in Jaipur T20s, highest successful run-chase in their 11-season history, highest successful run-chase this season and the sixth-highest successful run-chase against RR.

Root, meanwhile, was included into an IPL Playing XI for the first time in what is his maiden season in the biggest T20 league in the world. However, as was the case during his debuts in other white-ball formats, Root didn’t get to bat as individual half-centuries from opener Buttler (95) and captain Sanju Samson (66*) snatched a batting opportunity from an anchor batter.