Jos Buttler recovers from calf injury, to feature against Pakistan in 2nd T20I
Jos Buttler is set to return to England's lineup when the hosts take on Pakistan in the second T20I at Headingley on Sunday, July 18. The wicketkeeper-batsman has recovered from a calf injury that saw him miss a major chunk of the Sri Lanka series earlier.
Pakistan shocked everyone by putting in an inspiring performance in the first T20I against England. The visitors scored a mammoth 231 after batting first. Babar Azam's team now leads the 3-match T20I series 1-0.
However, their task is going to get tougher, with England bringing arguably their best white-ball batsman into the side for the second T20I.
England's stand-in coach, Paul Collingwood, said:
"We have Jos fit again and he is ready to go so he will come back into the side. It will be good to see Jos back in the ranks. He has experience and we all know what he can do at the top of the order."
Paul Collingwood has hinted there could be more changes in the offing, with the team management keen to try players ahead of the T20 World Cup.
"We are desperate to win the games but at the same time there is experimenting going on because we have to give guys opportunities, it's as simple as that. There are not many games before the T20 World Cup and we want to make sure every single position in the side is covered," he said.
"England will take precedence" - Jos Buttler on playing in rescheduled IPL
Last month, Rajasthan Royals' star batsman Jos Buttler made it clear that national duty will be the priority if there is a clash between the second phase of the IPL and England matches.
With the IPL set to be conducted around September-October, the England team is expected to be on tour in Pakistan and Bangladesh around that time.
"Usually the pocket of the IPL doesn't clash with any international games, which makes it a very easy tournament to be available for. When it clashes with international cricket, England will take precedence I'd have thought," Jos Buttler said.
When asked what he would do if there was a scheduling conflict, Jos Buttler bluntly stated he would go wherever England's Director of Cricket Ashley Giles asked him to.