Rajasthan Royals and England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler says if a commentator criticizes a player, he is only doing his job and that acknowledgment should be an integral part of any cricketer’s career. “Acknowledgement is a big part of the job. Acknowledging that broadcasters pay someone to voice their opinion; they’re just doing their job. When they criticize me it’s not a personal attack on me,” Butler told Humans of Bombay in an interview.
“And I watch other sports. I watch football and go ‘Oh how did he miss?! It was that simple’. That’s exactly what people are doing when I drop a catch or go for a low score. I I do exactly that.” Same thing without realizing it when I watch other games. Just acceptance,” he said.
The England white-ball captain says he always wanted to be an all-format cricketer, and not being able to perform in Test cricket is something that still bothers him.
“My strength has always been to be a better ODI and T20 player. I was determined to be an all-format player and a very successful Test cricketer. I ended up playing a lot of Test cricket but never performed consistently to this level that I thought I could achieve, and it will always be a frustration. I’ve always wanted to be one of the best players in the world,” he said.
Buttler, who captained England to their second ICC T20 World Cup win last year, cited South African Jonty Rhodes and Australian legends Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh as his inspirations in his early days.
“Jonty Rhodes was an early inspiration for me. I didn’t always keep wicket, I loved fielding. The 1999 World Cup was in England, so I have very clear memories of going and watching those games. Adam Gilchrist Another The 32-year-old Buttler said, “A wicketkeeper-batsman, he changed the way keeper-batsman. I was really excited to watch (him). Steve Waugh, because Australia were so dominant when he was captain.
Butler said joining Somerset at a young age paved the way for him to take up cricket as a career, but the England dream came much later.
“From an early age, I used to visit and watch Somerset, my local county, quite often. I knew very early on that this (cricket) could be my career. Knowing that playing cricket for your career was a good gig for me. Seemed like it. Once I got into the Somerset Academy at the age of 13-14, it was a clear path to becoming a professional cricketer.
“At around 13-14 it became a bit more serious for me to be selected for the Somerset Academy. My parents sent me to a private school in Taunton, known for its cricket, close to the Somerset Cricket Ground So that I have the added opportunity of being close to the school and county grounds.
“For me, it was always about playing for Somerset, England came later when I got selected for the under-17s and under-19s,” Butler revealed.
Butler said the kind of support Indian cricketers are getting even while playing overseas series was an eye-opener.
“It’s nothing more than the way Indian players are loved and supported, the level of fame is unbelievable. The only thing (I) can relate it to is football in England. It’s fascinating to see how they make it Let’s deal with it, the media scrutiny. It’s also a privilege. IPL has learned how the best players deal with the chaos, in a good way.
“Just watching (MS) Dhoni come out to bat that night (against RR in IPL 2023). The crowd is expecting so much. The way he behaves to the situation and outside pressures is quite unbelievable “
He said, “Wherever they go, India gets traveling support… Craig Kieswetter drove me to the Manchester Ground (his debut) and looked at the crowd of Indian fans waiting for the team bus to arrive. It Was an eye-opening, surreal experience.” ,
Butler said the focus on the upcoming 50-over World Cup in India would only be more after the IPL.
Understanding what it feels like to win the World Cup four years ago gives you the motivation to do it again. India is one of the best places to play cricket. So, it’s going to be huge. Once the IPL gets over, the focus will start shifting towards that. England has a strong talent pool. Our cricket has gone from strength to strength since 2015. We are a good team, a balanced side,” he said.
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