Jos Buttler, England’s ODI captain, is a key player to keep an eye on during the 2023 World Cup opener against New Zealand and throughout the tournament. As a wicketkeeper-batter, he holds a pivotal role in England’s middle order in ODI cricket and is expected to significantly influence the team’s performance.
Buttler boasts an impressive ODI career with 162 appearances, accumulating 4823 runs at an impressive average of 41.67. He has primarily occupied the No. 6 position, a role he’s likely to maintain during the World Cup, given England’s strong lineup in the top and middle order.
Jos Buttler’s recent performances have been more than sufficient to make opposition bowling teams apprehensive. He contributed a rapid 30 runs in England’s victory over Bangladesh during the warm-up match, and in official ODIs too, his form has been commendable.
Jos Buttler made vital contributions with consistent performances during England’s series victories over New Zealand in the run-up to the World Cup. Across 2023, he participated in 10 ODIs, accumulating an impressive 548 runs at an average of 60.89 with a striking strike rate of 110.29.
In this period, he notched up three half-centuries during England’s bilateral contests against South Africa, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. Furthermore, the captain displayed a remarkable performance by scoring 131 runs off 127 deliveries in England’s triumphant third ODI against South Africa.
“We’ll continuously strive to adjust our aggressive style of cricket to suit the playing conditions”- Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler is entrusted with safeguarding England’s World Cup title, and the team is well-equipped for this mission. England enters the competition as a top contender, aiming to maintain their hold on both the ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup titles.
However, England’s significant challenge lies in adapting to the subcontinent wickets, as mentioned by Jos Buttler during the pre-tournament captains’ press conference.
“There will be lots of different wickets we will play on around the country. There can be some of the best batting wickets in the world here. Some of them can be a little bit on the slower side; some can spin. So, reading the conditions quickly will be a big part of the game.”
“There will be lots of different wickets we will play on around the country. There can be some of the best batting wickets in the world here. Some of them can be a little bit on the slower side; some can spin. So, reading the conditions quickly will be a big part of the game,” he added.
England is set to kick off their campaign with a match against New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday.
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