When There’s Bumrah, It Feels Like You’re Playing a 16-over T20 Game: Jos Buttler

With close to 13,000 runs and a T20 World Cup title under his belt, Jos Buttler is rightly considered one of the greatest T20 batters of all time. But even Buttler, who has torn into several bowlers, has struggled immeasurably in his favourite format against Jasprit Bumrah.

Buttler, in his T20 career, has faced 88 balls of Bumrah and, in that, he’s been dismissed 4 times while striking at a mere 89.8. He’s only ever hit one six against the team India talisman, and has almost always been kept quiet by the right-arm speedster. 

Buttler spoke about Bumrah’s greatness and just how impossible it is to score against him in white-ball cricket.

“When he gets the ball, you play differently,” Buttler said of Bumrah, speaking on The Grade Cricketer.

“You feel like this is the guy we have to keep out; we can’t attack him. Or sometimes you try to attack him and realise that you can’t because he’s too good.

“It just feels different [against him]. He’s head and shoulders above the rest in white-ball cricket. He’s playing a different game. You’re playing a T20, but actually you feel like you’re playing a 16-over game and then Bumrah.”

Bumrah, who missed the second Test at Edgbaston due to workload reasons, is expected to return to the Indian team’s starting XI for the third Test at Lord’s starting today.