Jos Buttler Admits He Was 'Feeling The Pressure' Following An Extended Lean Patch In Test Cricket

Jos Buttler, England wicketkeeper-batsman, had come into the third and final Test against the West Indies under real pressure and scrutiny. The right-hander was averaging just a shade over 18 in his last seven Tests since replacing Jonny Bairstow during the tour of New Zeland last winter.

Buttler scored a crucial half-century- his first in 12 innings- on the opening day of the Old Trafford Test to lift England from a precarious situation alongside Ollie Pope, and the right-hander admitted to Sky Sports before the start of play on day 02 that he had been stressing about the lack of runs and feeling the pressure of mounting speculations on his Test spot, coming into the decider.

“Yes, naturally but I think time in the middle gives you confidence and obviously I hadn’t been doing that. But I think it’s more about doing a job for your team which I’m very aware of and if you are not quite performing as well as you want, you realize you’re not doing your job as well as you should be for your team,” Jos Buttler told Sky Sports.

“I was definitely feeling the pressure. I’ve played long enough now to understand when you’re under pressure and it’s on your shoulders and how to deal with it.” he added.

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“The only time I’ve had success at test level is when I’ve trusted my defense”- Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler looked quite circumspect when he came in to bat on the opening day. But the approach proved to be the perfect template for him as he gave himself the best chance to get himself in as Ollie Pope flayed the Windies bowlers with sumptuous drives. The wicketkeeper-batsman switched his gears brilliantly during the second half of his innings to register his 16th Test century.

“The only time I’ve had success at test level is when I’ve trusted my defense. Lots of people expect me to play a certain way because of the way I play in one-day cricket but I’ve never seen test cricket in that way,” he said.

Buttler, however, missed out on a golden chance of scoring his 2nd Test hundred. He was dismissed on 67 by Shannon Gabriel in the first hour of the second day.