ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
New Delhi, Feb 20: England captain Jos Buttler has conceded he is frustrated with his modest returns at the ongoing T20 World Cup but remains adamant that he will not curb his natural attacking instincts in a bid to rediscover form during the Super Eight stage.
Although Buttler surpassed the 4,000-run mark in T20 internationals during England’s win over Italy earlier this week, he has managed just 53 runs across four innings in the tournament so far. His struggles, in fact, extend beyond the World Cup. Since the conclusion of the English summer, Buttler has registered only one half-century in his last 16 T20 outings for England and Durban’s Super Giants, while also enduring a quiet run in ODIs this winter with a highest score of 38 in five innings.
At this World Cup, he began with knocks of 26 and 21 against Nepal and West Indies, before falling for three in successive matches against Scotland and Italy, both dismissals coming in similar fashion as he attempted to clear the infield during the Powerplay.
Speaking on his For the Love of Cricket podcast, Buttler admitted the recent returns have been testing. He acknowledged that while he has felt in good touch at times, he has repeatedly failed to convert starts into substantial contributions. The England skipper suggested he may have been trying too hard at the crease instead of allowing his game to flow naturally.Despite external suggestions — including former captain Nasser Hussain urging him to “give yourself a bit of a chance” — Buttler maintained that the demands of T20 cricket leave little room for a conservative reset. Unlike the longer formats, where a batter can occupy the crease to rebuild confidence, the shortest format requires constant scoreboard awareness and proactive strokeplay.
He stressed that batting for extended periods simply for personal reassurance is not an option if it compromises the team’s needs. In T20 cricket, particularly when chasing steep targets, intent cannot be shelved. Buttler reiterated that while frustration is inevitable during lean phases, the key is to return to basics — watch the ball closely, remain still at the crease and trust one’s instincts.(Agencies)
