Buttler is buoyed by his summer breakthrough ahead of Sri Lanka Test
JOS BUTTLER wants to draw on the confidence gained during his breakthrough Test summer as England prepare for a tricky two-match series against Sri Lanka at Galle.
It is five months now since, by his own admission, he saved his Test career with a match-winning 75 in partnership with Chris Woakes against Pakistan at Old Trafford. A fortnight later, he compiled a classy career-best 152 at the Ageas Bowl to help seal the series.
Now, he needs to reset his game in very different conditions, and get ready for long spells of wicketkeeping up to the stumps as the spinners bowl the lion’s share of overs in draining heat and humidity.
‘The summer gave me a lot of confidence and, hopefully, I can still ride off the back of that, even though it’s a long time ago,’ said Buttler. ‘But it’s nice to be in the position where I finished the summer strongly.
‘Coming from home and indoor schools to 30-degree heat which feels a lot hotter, and playing long days of cricket, is going to be tough physically.
‘During Friday’s practice game, we had 50 overs in the field, and I drank three litres and still lost one or two kilograms. You need to keep drinking.’
Despite his runs and dressingroom popularity, Buttler will inevitably face scrutiny behind the stumps because Surrey’s Ben Foakes — Player of the Series when England won 3-0 in Sri Lanka in late 2018 — is on tour, too, and expected to play in two of the four Tests in India starting next month as the selectors rest and rotate. An all-format player who needs looking after more than most, Buttler is unfazed by the prospect.
‘I’ve watched Ben practise, and he’s impressive,’ added Buttler.
‘It’s fantastic to see how good he is. The selectors and coaches and captains have spoken a lot about it not being ideal missing games for England, but you have to give the ECB a lot of credit for their forward thinking and trying to catch exhaustion or mental-health issues before they even happen.’
The tourists were boosted by the return to their biosecure bubble of Woakes. He had been self-isolating as a precaution after coming into close contact with Moeen Ali, who will remain in isolation until Wednesday after testing positive for Covid-19.
Woakes, though, is unlikely to be ready for Thursday’s first Test, when England are set to field a rejigged batting line-up including Zak Crawley as opener, Jonny Bairstow at No3 and a first cap for Essex batsman Dan Lawrence. lSTEVE SMITH hit a stunning 131 but Australia otherwise toiled in their quest to fashion a commanding lead on the second day of the third Test against India in Sydney.
Smith returned to form with a 27th Test century, propping up his side, who had resumed on 166 for two and were all out for 338 before India reached 96 for two at close.
The star of the Indian attack was Ravindra Jadeja. Half-centurion Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma put on 70 for their first wicket.
The pair fell in relatively quick succession but some solid batting from Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara helped the tourists keep their momentum at stumps, when they trailed by 242.