South Africa vs England: Axing Jos Buttler will suit the hosts, says Kevin Pietersen

The Lancashire wicketkeeper was dropped for the third Test against Pakistan three weeks ago

England batsman and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler (Getty Images)

Kevin Pietersen claims South Africa will be ecstatic if England do not to select record-breaker Jos Buttler for the first Test in Durban next month.

Buttler was dropped for the third Test against Pakistan three weeks ago after averaging only 8.5 runs from four innings in the UAE, but responded in stunning fashion during the one-day series.

In the final match, Buttler smashed England’s fastest one-day century, in 46 balls, and finished 116 not out as Eoin Morgan’s side took the series 3-1.

Pietersen has just returned from South Africa, where he has been playing T20 for Sunfoil Dolphins, and says England’s opponents are delighted at the prospect of Buttler being left out.

“He should definitely be there playing but I don’t see how they can play him in the first Test match, having dropped him from the last one,” said Pietersen.

“And I know South Africa are really, really happy about that. I’ve been there, I was there for the two weeks when they dropped Buttler.

“And everyone in South Africa was like, ‘You beauty, we don’t have to bowl to a bloke who can win a Test match in a single session.’

“England can say they dropped him because he needed time away but he didn’t have any time away, he got straight into an England shirt and scored massive runs 10 days later. I didn’t like seeing him dropped, he shouldn’t have been treated like that but Jos is a wonderful player and they have to do the business now.”

Meanwhile, quick bowler Chris Jordan is hoping finally to see some meaningful match action again for England, after six weeks of inactivity in the United Arab Emirates.

Fit again after a summer hampered by a torn side muscle, Jordan was restricted to a handful of substitute-fielding cameos until a more central role in the T20 warm-up victory over UAE in Abu Dhabi.

“I set quite high standards for myself, and I do want to offer so much more, backing up our two leaders Jimmy and Broady,” he said. “I don’t think you’ve seen the best of me yet.”