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“That just killed me for a few games” – IPL Legend admits struggle attempting to break Virat Kohli’s famous 973-run record

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler said he struggled to cope with the expectations of potentially breaking Virat Kohli's single-season scoring record during his heroic 2022 IPL season.

By Venkatesh Ravichandran · Sportskeeda

Published: Tuesday, 20 October 2026 at 3:11 PM

Key Things to Know

Jos Buttler admitted pressure to break Virat Kohli's 973-run IPL record hurt his form during the 2022 season.
After scoring nearly 500 runs in seven games, Buttler suffered four single-digit scores before regaining his touch.
Buttler finished the 2022 IPL campaign with 863 runs and four centuries as Rajasthan Royals finished runners-up.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Jos Buttler revealed he struggled mentally when chased by expectations of breaking Virat Kohli's single-season IPL record of 973 runs during the 2022 campaign. After scoring almost 500 runs in his first seven games for Rajasthan Royals, the pressure caused a slump in form with several low scores. Buttler explained that keeping the burden to himself hurt his performances before he eventually confided in coach Trevor Penney.

Buttler recovered his form in the playoffs to finish the 2022 season with 863 runs and four centuries, helping Rajasthan Royals finish as runners-up to Gujarat Titans. He also noted that breaking a finger in January 2022 left him undercooked, which originally kept his expectations low before his explosive start under head coach Kumar Sangakkara.

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