ENG v IND 2018: Jos Buttler wants to follow Virat Kohli’s route during India Test series

Buttler is keen to cement his place in England Test squad.

Jos Buttler | Getty

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler intends to approach his game like Virat Kohli during the forthcoming Test series between England and India, slated to start on August 1 at Edgbaston.

Buttler, who was recalled to the Test line-up owing to his stellar show in IPL 2018 for Rajasthan Royals, is keen to cement his place in the five-day format. The 27-year-old has impressed one and all on his Test return against Pakistan, scoring 161 runs at an average of 80.50 in 2 matches.

“The biggest thing I have learnt from the IPL is that it’s obvious what the best players do and why they are the best players and standouts,” Buttler quoted as saying by AFP.

“They just have a different mentality, a winning mentality in every game and the consistency to do that. I feel like I have learnt a hell of lot from watching guys train and go about their practice, ways they react to certain pressure moments in a game as well,” he added.

The example of India captain, one of the world’s most prolific batsmen across all formats, made a notable impression on Buttler.

“Someone like Virat Kohli is an immensely talented guy but also watching him go about it you see that mentality of getting to the top. They seem to make the right decision a lot of the time. That is a skill. The hunger to do it day in day out...that hunger really shines through in those top players,” he elaborated.

Talking about the significance of the five-Test series against India, Buttler also drew its comparison with the iconic Ashes series.

“Absolutely, it is a huge series. India are a fantastic team, in all conditions as well now. Australia is a huge series for England, but in this day and age India are not far behind,” he asserted.

Ahead of the tour, Kohli had said that the relations between the teams would be cordial because of the bonding in IPL. Although Buttler endorsed Kohli’s viewpoint, he made it clear that the affable relations won’t diminish either side’s desire for victory in the high-octane Test series.

“It will be highly competitive. What you have to remember is people can get on well, but the reason guys have got to international sport is they want to win and are competitive,” he concluded.

India squad for first three Tests:
Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami

England squad for the first Test:
Joe Root(c), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, James Porter

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 29 Jul, 2018

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