The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Buttler hails England’s ‘revolutionary’ captain
Jos Buttler hailed England captain Eoin Morgan as a “revolutionary” in a ringing endorsement of his leadership ahead of the second one-day international against India.
When Morgan traded his native Ireland eight years ago he was seen as an expansive, contemporary cricketer with bright ideas and a big arsenal of strokes at his fingertips.
It was a reputation he continued to build when the likes of Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell occupied the top slots in a 50-over team that failed to keep up with a rapidly-changing landscape.
Now he is the elder statesmen of the side, encouraging and empowering a generation of batsmen with an even wider range of shots and more punishing strike-rates than his own.
There is even talk that after a relatively lean 2016, which ended with him missing the tour of Bangladesh with safety concerns, his place could come under threat from Sam Billings and Jonny Bairstow.
But on the eve of the action in Cuttack, a game the tourists must win to keep the threematch series alive, Morgan was given a glowing tribute by the man who stood in as skipper in Dhaka and Chittagong.
“He brings a wealth of experience. He has a vision for the game and where he wants our side to get to. He’s a fantastic leader in that sense,” said Buttler, who epitomises the full-throttle approach beloved by Morgan.
“He really champions people playing in the way they believe and he shows that in the way he plays too, which he has done for many years.
“He was one of the first revolutionary players for England and that carries a lot of weight in the group, which is a pretty young one.
“He gives guys a lot of confidence. He’s very calm under pressure and I know everyone really enjoys playing for him.”
England know they face a formidable opponent at the Barabati Stadium, having come out on the losing end of a 700run game in Pune.