I WILL BE A BUSY BUTTLER
Risk-taker Jos aims to inspire England
The real Jos Buttler intends to stand up at one of the most iconic grounds in world cricket tomorrow and inspire england by going back to doing what he does best.
In Test cricket, Buttler has been a shadow of the stroke-maker who has become one of the best and most innovative white-ball batsmen of his generation.
he has made just one century in 38 Tests and averages 33, hugely disappointing for a player of his talents, and has now been handed the gloves by england in an attempt to encourage him to replicate his one- day role in the longer form of the game.
And Buttler said at Newlands yesterday he would stop trying to fit in with england’s new policy of ‘batting time’ and will instead trust his natural instincts, just as Quinton de Kock did in playing the innings that won the first Test for South Africa.
‘It’s certainly something I’m trying to work out,’ said Buttler of what has appeared to be a confused approach to Test match batting.
‘I think since I’ve come back into Test cricket I’ve tried to trust my defence for longer periods. I’ve been able to do that on occasions.
‘You try to sum up situations and work out how best you can score. You work out your risk management — what is too much risk, what is trying to push the game on. It’s always going to be the challenge of any situation you walk into. ‘But I want to be a bit busier in this Test. I’m not performing to the standards I need to and I’m trying to improve that. ‘ I’m spending a lot of time thinking about the game and am trying to visualise things and work through them in my head. For me, moving forward, yes I’ve got to play the situation — but I will try to be a bit more positive.’ Clearly england are trying to avoid the spectacular collapses that have been haunting them by trying to compile big first innings runs — but they must surely want Buttler to be his natural self, especially if he keeps on being left with a suspect tail for company. And Buttler had the perfect view of the way De Kock took the first Test away from england in Centurion with a hardhitting first innings score of 95 that gave South Africa the initiative and earned him the man-of-the-match award.
‘You always look at the opposition and Quinton played a really good knock and put pressure back on bowlers,’ said Buttler.
‘he tried to take the initiative and certainly watching that from behind the stumps resonated with me.’
Buttler is one of the more thoughtful england cricketers and was spotted on the balcony at Centurion reading a self-help book called Stillness is the Key.
he is an avid reader and listener to improvement podcasts, saying yesterday how much he enjoyed the one produced by Sportsmail columnist Sir Clive Woodward.
‘I just like learning,’ he said. ‘I like reading books and listening to business and sports people talk about things I can bring into my life and career.
‘ In cricket we can get quite caught up in the bubble so I enjoy trying to broaden my horizons. I really enjoyed the Clive Woodward podcast. It’s a fascinating listen.’
Buttler, meanwhile, talked positively yesterday about the controversial suggestion that the ICC may make four- day Tests mandatory from 2023. ‘ I’m very open to it,’ he said. ‘Test cricket is the pinnacle but you have to be open to change.
‘I think the game has changed and, if four-day Test cricket could preserve and potentially improve the longer game, it has to be looked at.
‘I think we all love a five- day finish with all three results possible on the last day but if four-day Tests are done properly they can be a success.
‘In this day and age we have to consider all the possibilities to see how we can do what’s best for Test cricket.’