England’s Buttler wary of ‘fantastic’ De Kock ahead of SA tour
ENGLAND’S Jos Buttler has said he is a “huge fan” of South Africa captain Quinton de Kock as the two wicketkeeper-batsmen prepare to go head-to-head in an upcoming Twenty20 series.
England travel to South Africa on Monday, despite administrative chaos within South African cricket that threatened the trip, for a tour that includes three international T20 matches and three one-day internationals.
But attention will be focussed on the shortest format given there are Twenty20 World Cups in both 2021 and 2022.
And the clash between Buttler and De Kock, both dynamic batsmen and athletic keepers, could go a long way to deciding the series.
“I’m a huge fan of his,” Buttler told reporters on Monday before the squad left for Cape Town.
“He is a fantastic player with an excellent cricket brain. I really enjoy how he views the game and looks to take it on.
“He is one of my favourite players in the world at the moment, and is brilliant with the bat and as a wicketkeeper,” added Buttler.
The tour will, as happened withEngland’s recent home international series, see matches limited to two venues in this case Cape Town and Paarl with players from both sides based in bio-secure bubbles.
Buttler is one of several England players who gained further experience of bubble life while playing in this year’s Indian Premier League where one of his team-mates at the Rajasthan Royals was England quick Jofra Archer.
Even though the Royals finished bottom of the table, fast bowler Archer was named the tournament’s most valuable player after taking 20 wickets in 14 matches.