Joseph Charles Buttler, born on 8 September 1990, is an English cricketer who captains the England cricket team in limited overs cricket and plays for the England Test team.
Buttler made his T20I debut in 2011, his ODI debut in 2012, and his Test debut in 2014. He is England’s second-most-capped T20I player and holds the world record for the highest seventh-wicket stand in ODIs. Buttler is England’s highest run-scorer in T20Is and one of only four Englishmen to score a T20I century. He holds the England ODI record for most dismissals as a wicket-keeper and the England T20I record for most dismissals.
He represents Lancashire in domestic cricket and has previously played for Somerset. Buttler has played for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. Known for his innovative and aggressive batting style, he was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and captained the team to victory in the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.
| Personal Information |
|
| Full Name |
Joseph Charles Buttler |
| Born |
8 September 1990 (age 33) |
| Place of Birth |
Taunton, Somerset, England |
| Height |
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Batting |
Right-handed |
| Role |
Wicket-keeper-batsman |
Domestic Career and Early Life
Joseph Buttler’s early domestic career was marked by his talent and success at a young age. He played extensively for Somerset’s youth teams, showing promise from a very early age. His senior club cricket debut came for Cheddar before he moved to Glastonbury in the 2006 season, when he was just 15 years old. Even at this young age, he showed his skills as a wicket-keeper, taking three catches and contributing 15 runs.
In the same season, Buttler made his first appearance for Somerset Second XI, where he scored 71 runs in the second innings and took six catches in a three-day match against Nottinghamshire Second XI. His talent was evident, and he continued to impress in school cricket, finishing the 2006 season as King’s College’s leading batsman with an average of 49.66.
The following season, Buttler continued to excel, playing regularly for Glastonbury in the West of England Premier League and for Somerset Under-17s. He scored two centuries for the Under-17s, including an unbeaten 119 against Surrey Under-17s. He once again led the batting averages for King’s College, with an impressive average of 51.14.
In April 2008, Buttler had a standout moment in his school career when he scored 227 not out during a record-breaking opening stand in a 50-over national schools game, adding 340 with Alex Barrow. He captained King’s College during the 2008 season and scored 851 runs, over 250 more than any other member of the team. His batting average of 94.55 was the sixth-highest amongst all school batsmen reported in Wisden, and his high-score of 227 was the highest recorded that season.
Buttler’s performances in school cricket earned him a place in the Somerset Second XI. In his final match of the 2008 season, he kept wicket and took six catches in the first innings against Worcestershire Second XI, showcasing his skills behind the stumps as well.
He made his first-class debut for Somerset in September 2009, replacing the injured Justin Langer for the County Championship match against Lancashire. Although he scored 30 in his only innings, it was a promising start to his professional career.
Overall, Buttler’s early domestic career was characterized by his exceptional talent with the bat, his skills as a wicket-keeper, and his ability to perform under pressure. These early experiences laid the foundation for his future success in domestic and international cricket.
Career Staitstics
| Format |
Matches |
Innings |
Runs |
Highest Score |
Average |
Balls Faced |
Strike Rate |
100s |
200s |
50s |
| Test |
57 |
100 |
2907 |
152 |
31.95 |
5365 |
54.18 |
2 |
0 |
18 |
| ODI |
181 |
154 |
5022 |
162 |
39.54 |
4289 |
117.09 |
11 |
0 |
26 |
| T20I |
114 |
105 |
2927 |
101 |
34.85 |
2024 |
144.61 |
1 |
0 |
22 |
| IPL |
96 |
95 |
3223 |
124 |
37.92 |
2173 |
148.32 |
5 |
0 |
19 |
International Career
2008
In July 2008, Buttler represented England Under-17s in two warm-up matches against New Zealand Under-19s. He scored a rapid 77 not out in the 50-over contest, showcasing his aggressive batting style.
2009
In 2009, Buttler played four matches for England Under-18s, two each against Scotland A and Scotland Development XI. He scored 103 not out in the first match and made consistent starts in the following matches. He made his England Under-19 debut in a T20 match against Bangladesh Under-19s, scoring 33 runs off 17 balls.
During the winter of 2009–10, Buttler toured with the England Under-19 team in Bangladesh. He played in the seven-match youth One Day International (ODI) series and scored 42 runs in the final match, top-scoring for England.
2010
In 2010, Buttler was part of the England Under-19 team for the Under-19 World Cup. He played all but one of England’s six matches, scoring 91 runs in three innings, with a top-score of 78 against India in the fifth-place play-off semi-final.
2011
Buttler was called up to the senior England squad for the Twenty20 International (T20I) against India in September 2011. He made his debut for the side as a specialist batsman. During the winter of 2011, he was part of the England performance programme for batting and wicket-keeping in India.
2012
In 2012, Buttler played regular T20 cricket for England, showcasing his ability with the bat in matches against South Africa and in the ICC World Twenty20. He received an ECB incremental contract for his performances.
2013
Buttler replaced Jonathan Trott in the England ODI squad in India in early 2013 and became England’s first-choice limited-overs wicket-keeper. He played in every match in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and was named in the T20I XI by Cricinfo for his performances.
2014
In 2014, Buttler continued to excel, scoring his maiden ODI century against Sri Lanka at Lord’s, which was then the fastest century by any England batsman. He made his Test debut against India, scoring 85 runs in his first Test innings. Buttler played regular one-day cricket throughout the year.
2015–17: World Cup, Ashes series, UAE and tour of Bangladesh
After playing for England in the Tri-series in Australia at the start of 2015, Buttler participated in the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Despite his efforts, including an unbeaten 39 against Sri Lanka and a 65 against Bangladesh, England had a disappointing campaign, failing to progress beyond the group stages.
Later in 2015, Buttler was recalled to the Test side as a wicket-keeper during the tour of the West Indies. He continued in the role throughout the English summer, playing in both Tests against New Zealand and all five Ashes Tests against Australia. However, his batting in the Ashes series was heavily criticized, with Geoffrey Boycott describing his performance as inadequate.
Buttler continued to excel in one-day cricket, scoring his then-highest ODI score of 129 from 77 balls against New Zealand.
In 2016, Buttler played for England in the ICC World Twenty20 and was a regular in the limited-overs squad throughout the year. He scored an unbeaten 90 against Pakistan as part of England’s record score of 444/3.
Buttler captained England in the ODI series against Bangladesh in October 2016 due to security concerns following a terrorist attack in Dhaka. He was involved in a controversial incident during the second ODI, resulting in disciplinary action by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
In 2017, Buttler returned to the England Test side for the third Test against India, playing in the final three Tests of the series. Despite a challenging tour for England, Buttler’s performances were relatively strong, including a counter-attacking 76 in Mumbai.
Throughout 2016 and 2017, Buttler continued to be a regular in the limited-overs side, representing England in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. However, he was unable to break back into the Test side and was not selected for the 2017–18 Ashes series in Australia. Buttler was named in the ICC World ODI XI in 2016.
2018–2022: Return to Test cricket, World Cup and Ashes series
In May 2018, Buttler was recalled into England’s Test squad and had a successful return, scoring two half-centuries and winning the Man of the Match award at Headingley.
During the ODI series against Australia in June 2018, Buttler scored two half-centuries and made 110 not out in the final game, leading England to a historic series whitewash.
Buttler replaced James Anderson as the Test vice-captain in July 2018 and scored his maiden Test century against India in August 2018. He continued to perform well in both Test and one-day cricket, being selected for England’s tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
In February 2019, Buttler scored a career-best 150 in an ODI against the West Indies, part of an England world record for the most sixes in an ODI. He continued to impress, scoring an unbeaten 110 against Pakistan in the second ODI of the series.
Buttler was named as the vice-captain of the England squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup and played a crucial role in England’s success, including a century against Pakistan and a key partnership with Ben Stokes in the final against New Zealand.
In 2020, Buttler continued to perform well, scoring two half-centuries in a T20 series against South Africa and a century in the final Test of the summer against Pakistan. He also performed impressively in the ODI and T20 series against Australia.
In 2021, Buttler was appointed vice-captain for the tour of Sri Lanka and made significant contributions with both bat and gloves. He continued to perform well in limited-overs cricket, scoring a century in a T20I against Sri Lanka.
In 2022, Buttler was appointed as the captain of the England ODI and T20I teams. He led England to victory in the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scoring crucial runs throughout the tournament, including a match-winning 80 not-out in the semi-final and 26 in the final.
2023 ODI World Cup
In the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, Jos Buttler faced a challenging campaign as England’s captain, struggling with his own batting form. Despite high hopes, England suffered a dramatic defeat to Australia, sealing their fate and eliminating them from the tournament. Buttler’s performance was disappointing, scoring only 106 runs at an average of 15.14 in seven matches.
IPL Career
Jos Buttler has been a formidable presence in the Indian Premier League (IPL), showcasing his explosive batting skills and versatility. He has amassed 3223 runs in 96 matches at an impressive average of 37.92 and a strike rate of 148.32. Buttler has been a key player for the Rajasthan Royals since 2018, where his aggressive batting at the top of the order has been instrumental. Earlier in his IPL career, he played for the Mumbai Indians, displaying his adaptability and match-winning capabilities. Buttler’s ability to dominate bowlers and score quickly makes him a prized asset in the IPL, earning him a reputation as one of the tournament’s most exciting players.
