Pakistan vs England Fourth ODI preview: Jos Buttler goes back to basics to find his touch

Wicketkeeper-batsman admits the past five months have been among his most trying times

Jos Buttler scored an unbeaten 49 in England’s six-wicket victory in the third ODI against Pakistan (Getty)

Jos Buttler is vowing to “be himself” in future after at last rediscovering his batting form for England. The wicketkeeper-batsman hopes he has ended an alarming slump – which still extends to 22 international innings without a half-century – by making an unbeaten 49 in England’s six-wicket victory in the third one-day international over Pakistan in Sharjah.

With the tourists 2-1 up going into the final match here, Buttler admits the past five months have been among his most trying times. They culminated in him being dropped from the Test team this month during the series defeat against Pakistan.

Buttler confesses to having decidedly mixed feelings, including a sense of “relief” at that point. However, he was retained as expected in the Test squad to travel to South Africa next month.

His attempts to adapt his limited-overs batting to the longer format foundered – and left him worryingly short of runs in all formats of the game. “It’s a huge relief to contribute to an England win,” said the 25-year-old, reflecting on his part in an unbroken century stand with James Taylor on Tuesday.

He had one crucial moment of fortune, a missed stumping reprieving him on nought, but he went on to play exceptionally well on a difficult pitch.

“It can be pretty tough, when you’re going through that, and questioning whether it will come back in time,” he said. “I hope I can use those experiences to improve me as a player and, if I ever go through that form again, turn it round quicker.”

He will be keeping things simple, playing to his strengths and implementing well-meant advice sparingly. “It is a case of the simpler you make it the better. I almost made it a harder game than it needs to be,” Buttler admitted.

“Getting back to what I do well, the basics, and thinking about the game logically is what is going to help me.

“It’s great to finally get that score, because you need that to end those things that just nag away at you.”

Did he begin then to question the methods which had already taken him to the top? “Yes, a few times,” he replied. “I always want to learn, and you probably go through a stage of asking too many questions and trying to learn from too many people – which, I think, is almost counter-productive.

“You think you’re doing the right thing. But actually everyone plays the game pretty differently – and maybe something I need to improve is the filter of information.

“I think that’s one of my big challenges: just get back to being myself, trusting myself and almost having the mentality that if I’m going to go down, go down on your own terms as opposed to trying to be someone you’re not or play in a fashion that is not my way. It’s a huge [lesson] to get back to trusting myself and having that belief that the way I do it is the right way for me.”

It was England coach, Trevor Bayliss, who suggested there might be a touch of relief if and when the moment came when Buttler had to be dropped. He does not disagree.

“Maybe it was bittersweet, I guess, in a way,” Buttler said. “Either you need a score, or you probably need to miss out. So in a way, it does come as a bit of a relief to get out of the furnace for a bit and to really refresh your mind.”

As he restates his case, Buttler will keep trying to play with a smile on his face too. “One of the really tough things going through that is you start to really not enjoy cricket,” he added. “You lose that sense of enjoyment – which is tough, because you’ve got the best job in the world really.”

PA