"Now would be a good time for him to step up" - Geoffrey Boycott wants runs off Jos Buttler's bat in the Ashes
Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott has highlighted how vital it is for Jos Buttler to make an impact with the bat in the Ashes series Down Under. Boycott highlighted that batting in Test and one-day cricket is hugely different and feels there's pressure on Buttler.
Jos Buttler will feature in his first away Ashes series and is likely to take the gloves as well. The keeper-batsman hasn't quite had the impact in the whites for England as in limited-overs cricket. Notably, Buttler has passed 30 just once in his last seven Test innings.
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Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Geoffrey Boycott addressed Jos Buttler's mediocre performance with the bat in the Ashes. Stating that the 31-year-old has an opportunity to prove his red-ball credentials, Boycott wrote:
"Jos Buttler hasn’t done anything of note in Ashes Tests in England - he’s played 10 and is averaging only 20.5. And he hasn’t played a Test match in Australia either. I realise it’s fun smashing it around in one-day cricket with no pressure or criticism if you get out. Ashes matches are different. They’re meaningful. There’s pressure and expectation and millions who care. So now would be a good time for him to step up better than he has done."
The Lancashire-born cricketer revealed he intends to take cues from Rishabh Pant's batting in Australia. Boycott also opined that their skipper Joe Root is the only batsman in England's ranks averaging over 40 and that he needs to make big scores in the upcoming series.
"The openers haven't played in Australia before to gain experience" - Geoffrey Boycott
Boycott also expressed concerns about how Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed will fare in Australia. The 81-year-old lamented their lack of exposure to the conditions and game time before facing a quality bowling attack. He continued:
"I can’t think of anything more difficult for the England openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed than having to face the best seam attack in the world with no meaningful practice because of rain. Batting against that attack would be difficult with perfect preparation. These two haven’t batted in a first-class match for nearly three months and neither have played in Australia before to gain experience of the extra pace and bounce."
The first Ashes Test begins on December 8 at the Gabba in Brisbane. England last won a series in Australia in the 2010-11 series, but haven't won a Test in Sydney since January 2011.