Jos Buttler Receives Backing From Former English Wicketkeepers

English wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has not experienced the best of times in Test cricket. In the ongoing Test against Pakistan in Manchester, Jos Buttler has fluffed a few chances behind the stumps and misfielded too. With the bat, the 29-year-old managed only 38 runs as the hosts conceded a first-innings lead of 107. With Buttler under pressure, former English glovemen have stepped forward and supported him.

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The English selectors have opted for Jos Buttler as their wicketkeeper ever since dropping Jonny Bairstow due to his underwhelming performance with the bat.

While Bairstow struggled with the bat since the 2019 Ashes, his display behind the stumps was not questionable. When speaking of Jos Buttler, he has recorded only two half-centuries from his last 17 innings and averages 31.63.

Former wicketkeeper Matt Prior empathised with Buttler, who believes that the gloveman is at a horrible place. However, Prior called for the rest of the team to get their act together and compensate for his struggles.

The retired cricketer conceded that he has found himself in that spot, questioning their game, which is not an easy place to be. Buttler dropped Shan Masood on 45 in the first innings off Dom Bess, who went on to make 156.

“I feel for Jos – it’s a horrible place to be but England need him to come out of it. But it’s not just one guy. If one guy is struggling, the wicketkeeper is struggling, the team have to stand up and say ‘concentrate on your stuff, we’ve got this. I watched Jos very closely (in this Test) and he’s in that place, which I unfortunately have experience of myself, where you question your own game,” the 79-Test veteran told Sky Sports.

Matt Prior, who was part of three victorious Ashes campaigns, remember Jos Buttler watching his gloves and hands, sensing something was wrong and that his body language was not positive either.

The South African-born pointed out it becomes a point where you are not able to understand how to help the bowlers or captain.

“A number of times you could see that Jos was looking at his hands, his gloves. I know that suddenly your gloves don’t feel quite right, your posture is not right. You question everything rather than looking at what the match situation is and how you can help the bowler or captain or gee the fielders up which, as we know, is such a crucial role for a keeper,” Prior added.

Alec Stewart highlights what the team needs to do to support Jos Buttler:

Alec Stewart, who captained England, underlined that the other ten needs to understand that the Somerset cricketer is struggling. According to Stewart, the last thing a keeper needs is to stay jittery and not wanting the ball to come to them.

“The other 10 players should understand that Jos is going through a really tough time. The last thing you want is to be tense, on edge and not wanting the ball to come to you because there is no hiding place for a wicketkeeper,” Surrey’s director of cricket pointed out.

Stewart called for one person to step forward and assure Jos Buttler that they would take over to encourage the troops and asking him to concentrate on the ball, staying relaxed.

“If he has to also be the cheerleader for the team then you are asking too much. So someone in that group should go ‘Jos, I will take over for a while and gee the troops up. You concentrate on catching the ball and staying relaxed,” the 57-year-old stated further.

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