Over the years, Jos Buttler has experienced numerous highs and lows in his cricket career. He was a pivotal cog in Eoin Morgan’s England side, which revolutionised ODI cricket with its attacking mindset.
Jos Buttler, who succeeded Eoin Morgan in June 2022 and promptly won the T20 World Cup, has stepped down as captain after England’s disappointing results in three consecutive ICC events: the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Poll
What aspect of Jos Buttler’s batting style do you find most impressive?
In a candid chat with TimesofIndia.com, the 34-year-old spoke on a range of topics.
Excerpts:
How has your experience been so far with Gujarat Titans?
It’s been a really good experience. I’ve really enjoyed it. Obviously, it’s a new challenge, a new team. So, it felt like the first day of school when I arrived. But no, I’ve settled in really well. I’ve been warmly welcomed into the group. There’s an excellent vibe around the team. You know, the leadership group of Vikram Solanki, Ashish Nehra, and Shubman Gill have created a really nice environment, and I feel very comfortable.
T20 demands that players constantly improve. You started as a finisher, then moved to open the innings, and now bat at number three. How did you adapt to these different roles with such ease?
I’ve really enjoyed batting all up and down the order. In the first half of my career, I was very much a middle-order player or finisher. Actually, I owe a huge debt to Mahela Jayawardene for giving me the chance to open in T20 cricket. I had to learn how to play the powerplay. But once I got through the powerplay, it felt like I was just batting as I used to anyway. So yeah, it’s nice to be able to marry the two styles. Obviously, if you can get through the powerplay and then play freely, you can really impact the game.
Playing at number three is a new role for me. I did it a bit with England in the last few months. But yeah, I’m just trying to use all my experience and look at the scoreboard and play what is required. You know, obviously, you can see what the openers are doing and if the ball is swinging, or if it’s a really good wicket, or whatever. And then, yeah, I could be in the first over, or I could be outside the powerplay. So, I just wait and see and react to how I need to play.
There is an eternal challenge of numbers in cricket: knowing which numbers to use and which to ignore. Does data help a cricketer improve their game?
I think the skill with data is actually understanding what it means, what the context is, how it can help, and what it’s showing me that my cricket intuition isn’t. Or, I should try and use it as another decision-making tool. I don’t think you should follow it blindly. And, similarly, you shouldn’t be resistant to it, thinking, ‘I’ve played cricket forever, I don’t need to look at data.’ So, I think it’s just trying to decode what it actually means. Does it add value? Does it confirm my cricket IQ, or does it challenge it? And if it challenges it, then asking the questions, you know, what does it mean?
Cricket is flooded with numbers, and I think there’s sometimes too much of it, or people focus on useless things that actually make no difference. But certainly, there is some value to be found in certain areas. So, I think you’ve got to know what you’re looking for and how to ask the right questions around it. I look at it every now and again; I’m not wedded to it. And I also try to use my experience from over 400-odd T20 games that I’ve played.
Your ramp shot is more like a flick in hockey. Despite the movement, your head stays still, your eyes are on the ball, and your balance remains intact.
I did play a bit of hockey, but no, I think it’s more of just a cricket shot that’s evolved. You know, trying to, like I say, just deflect the ball to a big gap on the field. Obviously, if the third man is up, then you can get it over him or over the wicketkeeper. I was always trying to work out a way of how I could play it to every single ball that a bowler could bowl. So, I wasn’t just relying on a yorker. That’s why I stood up as opposed to going down on one leg.
Have you borrowed ideas from tennis and baseball and implemented them on the cricket field while playing 360-degree shots?
Not directly, I would say, but I enjoy other sports. I like watching other sports. I suppose the power-hitting stuff has some similarities with baseball. But I would say, for me, I think any ball sport, you know, with an implement, say a racket or a stick or a bat, there are natural crossovers. Golf, the way someone is going to swing the club, or whatever, the bat, you know, so at the end of the day, you’re still hitting a ball. And each sport has its own nuances and different techniques.
But each individual has probably a certain style or thing that would probably crossover into all those games as well. I think we get caught up sometimes on, ‘oh, that’s a hockey shot in cricket’ or ‘it’s a golf swing.’ But I would say it’s just hitting a ball. No matter what sport you’re playing, you’re hitting a ball, and you’re using all that experience and hand-eye coordination and muscle memory to just try and hit the ball as well as you can in cricket.
Will we see Jos Buttler playing international cricket again?
I certainly hope so. I’ve only stepped down as captain. So yeah, I hope I can play as a player now.
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