Buttler is fresh off a match-winning knock of 73 not out against RCB
Jos Buttler credited former Sri Lanka captain and Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene for propelling his career as an opening batter.
Buttler who batted in the middle and lower middle-order in the early days of his career, was asked to open the innings for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 against Rising Pune Supergiant which transformed his career.
Buttler went on to become one of the most destructive openers in T20 cricket, scoring 7,510 runs from 204 innings at a stunning average of 40 and a strike rate of 147. During this phase, he led England to the 2022 T20 World Cup crown in Australia.
“In the first half of my career, I was very much a middle-order player or finisher. Actually, I owe a huge debt to Mahela Jayawardene for giving me the chance to open in T20 cricket. I had to learn how to play the powerplay. But once I got through the powerplay, it felt like I was just batting as I used to anyway,” Buttler said.
The former England captain recently moved a position below to No.3 and took some time to adjust there. In IPL 2025, his runs proved to be the lynchpin for Gujarat Titans as they recovered from an early loss to Punjab Kings to beat Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Buttler felt that he is able to blend his style of play from being a finisher and as an opener to his new role.
“Playing at number three is a new role for me. I did it a bit with England in the last few months. But yeah, I’m just trying to use all my experience and look at the scoreboard and play what is required. You know, obviously, you can see what the openers are doing and if the ball is swinging, or if it’s a really good wicket, or whatever,” the 34-year-old said.
GT Recover From Bad Start To IPL 2025
Buttler was also critical of the increased dependence on data by cricket teams as he felt that the sport is also driven by instincts of the players.
“Cricket is flooded with numbers, and I think there’s sometimes too much of it, or people focus on useless things that actually make no difference. But certainly, there is some value to be found in certain areas. So, I think you’ve got to know what you’re looking for and how to ask the right questions around it,” the former England captain said.
Buttler’s swashbuckling knock of 73 not out off just 39 balls helped GT stop RCB from winning three matches in a row with an eight-wicket victory. Buttler and GT will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.
