NEWS
Follow UsJos Buttler learned first-hand that captaining a champion side like England could be a tough job as they crashed out of the group stage in the 2023 ODI World Cup. While the Three Lions certainly did not put their feet up in the competition, they also looked a little lost from the outside regarding the leadership group.
Buttler, who learned from the experience, stated that he wishes not to confuse ‘freedom with lack of clarity’. He went on to add that much clearer communication could have ensured that the players understood their roles.
"The big learning for me is to try not to confuse freedom with maybe a lack of clarity. Sometimes you're trying to let players play with freedom and you don't want to step in too much. But you have to make sure you don't miss things,” he told Sky Sports.
"Maybe [there could have been] more communication at times to make sure people are clear on what is needed from them. But certainly there are times where I look back and say I'd probably make similar decisions in certain instances, and for whatever reason, they just don't work out,” he added.
England are still the defending champions when it comes to the shortest format, having defeated Pakistan in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Buttler added that the Three Lions would focus on playing the crunch moments well and seize their chances.
"I don't think it's about trying to reinvent the wheel, or trying to give people messages that they've never heard before. It's about playing good cricket. In tournament cricket, you've got to play the crunch moments really well. You've got to come back from adversity really well. You have to read the game and play well, and be able to adapt.
There is already a debate on what to expect from the wickets in the West Indies. Buttler added to the debate, joining Indian skipper Rohit Sharma in stating that the wickets can be a little slower. Given that the clashes are set to begin early in the day, spin could play a huge role.
"The conditions out there, the wickets can be a little bit slower. Spin will play a big part out there, as well as extra pace. I think the wind is a big factor on those island grounds too. But one thing that people will have to react quickly to in that World Cup is a very early start, with some 10 o'clock or 10.30 starts,” he said.
“A lot of the time you're playing night cricket in T20s, so it's trying to learn from that."
Since the last World Cup, Phil Salt has shown immense improvement, scoring 1892 runs in T20s across the globe. While Salt was earlier known for his cameos, the right-hander has worked hard on converting the starts into substantial scores, with 12 50+ scores in the last two years, impressing Buttler.
"One of the great things about him (Phil Salt) is he's got that insatiable appetite to learn," Buttler said. "He's not afraid of asking questions. He's always wanting feedback. At every training session, he's clearly trying to work on something to improve.
"One of his things in the past would be those scores of 30 off 15, or 25 off 10, but he's been able to go on and really extend those innings, which show great maturity. He can be one of the real key players for us."
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