Keeper Buttler was relieved to be dropped

Cricket365
December 23, 2015

Jos Buttler admits that he was relieved to have been dropped from the England Test side in the recent series against Pakistan, saying he got to a stage where he was not concentrating in the field.

A wicketkeeper, Buttler has endured a miserable last six months with the bat and was eventually dropped from the Three Lions' starting team for the final Test against Pakistan in the UAE.

The 25 year-old says when you are not in form with the bat being the wicketkeeper is the worst place to be while fielding as you cannot just switch off.

Speaking in an interview to former England captain Michael Vaughan for the Telegraph, Buttler said: "You get to a place where you are thinking 'today I have to get runs or can you just drop me and get me out of this.

"It was a relief to get dropped which is sad in a way because you never want to miss a game. But I was not performing and mentally I got to a stage where I was not concentrating and did not want to be there.

"I was not enjoying walking out there and feeling like I didn't know where the next run was coming from. I would also worry that I would miss a nick when keeping because I would be thinking about batting too much.

"Keeping wicket is the worst place to be when out of form. You can't hide at fine leg where you might touch the ball once every 10 overs. Behind the wicket you are involved every ball."

Buttler returned to form in spectacular fashion when he scored England's fastest ever ODI century, off just 46 balls, in the ODI series against Pakistan.

The Lancashire player says he adapts quicker to ODI cricket and still has to learn to adjust to the pace in the longest format.

Buttler explained: "Test cricket is an intense environment but the slower pace of the day is something I need to handle. I have to get up for it more.

"In a one-dayer you face more balls in a cluster, you are always in the game and everything happens quicker. For someone like me the pace of an ODI drags me to the right level straightaway.

"In ODIs if I can get my intensity right then I can perform however I want to."