"It's helped me being an opening batter" - Jos Buttler on raising his game in T20I cricket
England keeper-batter Jos Buttler has opened up on how he looks to improve himself as an opener in T20Is. He revealed that he keenly observes numbers and match-ups to upgrade himself.
Jos Buttler has developed into one of the most explosive batters in T20I cricket. The right-handed batter averages a healthy 50.94 in T20 internationals while opening the innings. Hence, England have chosen Buttler to set the tone for them at the very top.
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐ฆ๐บ It's the Aussies up next for England, as Eoin Morgan's side face them in a top-of-the-table clash in #T20WorldCup Group 1!
But who should we be worried about (if anyone) and how have they fared so far?
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Jos Buttler said that he enjoys looking at his strike rate, as it helps him to improve his batting. The 30-year old also said that he uses it to see what tactics to apply at which stage of innings. Buttler told The Telegraph in this regard:
"I quite enjoy looking at strike rate. In my head, I call it productivity really โ how productive am I being against each delivery or certain bowlers? Is there a trend to my batting that I can improve on?"
"It's helped me being an opening batter โ that understanding of the way the game ebbs and flows and the different rhythms of the game between the first six and then coming out of the Powerplay. And how I can improve that bit as a batter. So I try and use it for what it is but trust my instincts as well."
The Lancashire player first emerged as an opener in the 2018 IPL for the Rajasthan Royals. Buttler hammered 548 runs in the season at 54.80, striking at 155.24. As a result, England thrust the right-hander into the same role.
Jos Buttler names one shot he would like to improve
Buttler labelled the ramp shot as the one he wants to be better at, especially when hitting over the off-side. He added in this regard:
"One thing I'd like to try and develop is more of a ramp over third man. When I ramp I always try and look to go leg-side, but I'd like to develop getting it over the off-side as well."
"That's something I want to add a bit more to my game because for me, generally they'd have third man up more than fine leg is up."
Buttler, who is part of the England squad in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021, has opened the batting with Jason Roy. The pair is yet to make the kind of impact they are known for, but it shouldn't be too long before that happens.