Birthday special: Top 5 knocks of Jos Buttler’s international career
England’s hard-hitting batsman Jos Buttler has emerged as one of the most dynamic batsmen of the modern era. The prolific run-scorer, born on 8th September 1990, has proved his mettle with his consistent performances with the bat for the England team across all the three formats of the game. After a successful stint in the domestic circuit, the right-handed batsman was handed his T20 debut in 2011 against India. His terrific form and ability resulted in him making his ODI debut in 2012 against Pakistan while Buttler made his Test debut in 2014 against India.
In his illustrious international career spanning over 10 years, Buttler has featured in 47 Test matches, 142 ODIs and 71 T20 Internationals amassing 2543, 3843 and 1455 runs respectively. As the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman turns 30 today (September 8), let’s revisit the five most blistering knocks.
152 against Pakistan at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, 2020
A determined Pakistan team had toured England in August 2020. Going into the third Test at Southampton, they were lagging behind by 0-1 in three-match Test series. Batting first after winning the toss, England lost their first few wickets cheaply and soon found themselves at 127/4. This is when Jos Buttler and the young batsman Zak Crawley stitched a thumping partnership of 359 runs to take their team to a mammoth total of 583 runs. Buttler brought up his maiden Test 150 in the match as he played a blistering knock of 152 runs including 13 fours and 2 sixes. The match ended in a draw owing to the persistent rain.
150 against West Indies at St George’s in Grenada, 2019
In the England tour of West Indies in 2019, the ODI series was levelled by 1-1 with two matches remaining in the five-match series. The fourth ODI between the two nations can be classified as one of the most thrilling and entertaining matches of the previous year. Batting first, the England team racked up a massive total of 418 runs. Jonny Bairstow and Alex Hales gave a spectacular start to the hosts as they added 56 and 82 runs respectively. But it was Buttler who stole the show with his quickfire innings of 150 in just 77 balls, his highest ODI score to date. The batsman smashed 13 fours and 12 sixes to reach this mammoth score at a strike rate of 194.8
59 against New Zealand at Lord’s in World Cup 2019 final
2019 was monumental for the England cricket team as they won their maiden World Cup title. The final was one of the most thrilling and exciting finals in the history of the game. Chasing the target of 241, England’s top-order crumbled and they were reduced to a mere score of 86/4 in 23.1 overs. Taking the responsibility, Buttler and Stokes collected 110 runs for the fifth wicket. The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 59 off 60 in a crucial match. He hit six fours at a strike rate of 98.3 and also made notable contributions by adding 7 runs in a nail-biting Super over. However, after the match and the super over resulted in a draw, England were declared winners on boundary count.
129 against New Zealand at Edgbaston in Birmingham, 2015
England’s limited-overs team was under major scrutiny after a disastrous campaign in the 2015 World Cup. Thus, not much was expected from them in the ODI series against the runners-up, New Zealand. The visitors won the toss and the skipper Brendon McCullum surprisingly opted to bowl first. Despite a knock of 104 by Joe Root, England were reduced to 180/4. This is when Buttler stepped in and thrashed the bowling unit of the opposition. Playing an aggressive form of cricket, the batsman smashed 129 runs off 77 balls with the help of 13 boundaries and 5 sixes. This resulted in England clinching the match by a whopping 210 runs.
106 against India at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, 2018
Firsts are obviously special. Thus, Buttler’s maiden Test century against India in 2018 will always be one of the proudest moments of his life. Going in the third Test match of the five-match Test series, England were leading by 2-0. Batting first, India had managed to put up a total of 329 on the board. In reply, the England team crumbled on a score of 161 and the visitors got a massive lead of 168 runs. Adding to the misery of the hosts, the Asian nation racked up 352 in their second essay. In such crucial times, Jos Buttler emerged as a star as he put up a good fight by registering his maiden Test ton (106) in 176 balls. Despite the efforts by the wicketkeeper, England lost the match by a huge margin of 203 runs.
