Jos Buttler: What should England do as batting woes continue in the T20 World Cup? | Cricket News

What to do with Jos Buttler?

England’s greatest ever white-ball batsman is currently in a dire situation. His T20 World Cup statistics are dismal.

Butler has scored just 62 points in seven innings, averaging an 8.85 points per game. All but 15 of these scores started the tournament with 26 against Nepal and 21 against West Indies.

Buttler’s best effort since then was an incredibly hooked 14-ball seven against Sri Lanka. Before and after that, he was fired three times, three times, two times, and most recently, zero times.

His two-ball duck against New Zealand, which came after Lockie Ferguson came down the pitch and meekly poked him in the back, was painful to watch but not surprising.

Buttler looks more like a man at war with himself than an opposition bowler. England may now have to make a decision.

Is there a possibility that Butler will leave?

It seems unlikely that Butler will be removed, but replacing him with Ben Duckett, a backup hitter on a 15-plus team, is an option.

But the problem is that Duckett has not batted since his golden duck in the final T20 of the bilateral series against Sri Lanka on February 3 – and apart from ODI 62 against Sri Lanka on January 22 since last summer, he has not had much success with the bat.

He endured a punishing Ashes series both on and off the field.

It could be argued that Duckett could not do worse than Buttler now, but England seem reluctant to let go of the man who has been the lynchpin of their country’s white-ball batting, and indeed of world cricket, for more than a decade.

England captain Brook has had to answer a number of questions about Buttler’s form and lack of form in recent weeks, but his answer remains the same.

After Buttler’s blob in the four-wicket win against New Zealand, Brook said: “He has played over 150 T20Is for England, averaging close to 34 at a strike rate of 177, so maybe people need to take a step back.

“He’s probably the best white-ball hitter that’s ever been in this game.

“He’s in a bit of a rut at the moment, but everyone around the world is looking forward to seeing what he can produce in the next few games.

“He has a lot of fire in his belly and wants to show what he’s made of. He’s a phenomenal player and I believe he’ll do well.”

Should Butler be moved down the rankings?

That’s probably a “no” to taking him down, but what about taking him out of the standings? How about starting Sam Curran, Jacob Bethel, Tom Bunton or Rehan Ahmed, with Phil Salt up top and Butler in later?

He has averaged 36.61 as a No. 3 batsman in 16 T20Is, but captain Brook seems to have regained his spot after his 50-ball feat against Pakistan last week.

Buttler has only batted outside the top three in this format twice since 2018, and none since the 2023 home series against New Zealand, but other mid-order batsmen are key to England’s success at this World Cup.

As a result, Butler is likely to remain in the semifinals in the opening round. The semi-final will likely be against India or West Indies in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5, with a win leading to the final.

The business end of the contest will be the perfect opportunity to rediscover his mojo.

Friend and former England team-mate Moeen Ali told Sky Sports of Buttler: “He’s definitely capable of it and you have to believe he can do it.”

“We know it’s difficult, but up until the last few games we’ve had a lot of teams where someone can’t score, and that’s when good players emerge.

“I think against New Zealand, Jos tried to do things a little bit differently – get off the wicket, try to get the bat on the ball, try to get off the mark, be busy.

“He just hurt something that bounced a little more than he expected.”

Watch every match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup live on Sky Sports Cricket, including the final on Sunday 8th March. Get Sky Sports and stream now without a contract. Cancel anytime.