Jos Buttler commits to every England match until end of Ashes after needed rest

Jos Buttler has committed to being available to play for each and every England assignment upto the end of the Ashes.

Where this would once have been entirely expected, Buttler’s workload in an England shirt in 2021 could only be described as light so far.

But after missing the last five England Test matches with Joe Root’s side losing four and drawing one of the quintet, the keeper batsman can’t keep putting his feet up when the five day games roll around.

His second break of the year included a first home series defeat for Root as skipper with the stand-in’s, stand-in keeper James Bracey having a torrid time, but now Buttler is back for the long haul.

“That’s the dream,” said Buttler. “Yeah, I’m available and fingers crossed. I want to play as much as I can.

“I know there's been some criticism from outside, but I'm glad to have had a bit of a break and refresh. In England we're playing a lot of cricket, more than most and I think we have to look after our people.

“We understand it's a short career and you want to be available and play as much as you can.”

And the same appears to be the case when the rearranged IPL is set to clash with an England tour to Bangladesh and Pakistan.

“I’ll be playing probably where Ashley Giles says,” he added. “Usually the pocket of the IPL doesn’t clash with any international games, when it clashes with international cricket, England will take precedence I’d have thought.”

There is little doubt that Buttler will be a terrific success in white ball cricket this summer, but it is against the red ball where his form remains most fragile.

It is why every finger will be crossed that the form he showed in nine games before his Test career was paused where he averaged 50, is what England will get from him right through to Perth.

“Naturally I am a better white ball player than I am a red ball player,” he added. “But I want to be the best cricketer I can be in all formats.

“Of course it is disappointing to miss games, but I retain that confidence if I get another chance that I will be in a good place.

“I was feeling in good touch and things were going well and in terms of my own ambitions I want to be the best player I can be no matter what colour the ball is.

“In the past 18 months, two years, there have been some strides and I think the side is going in the right direction.

“Any time you lose, there are question marks but I think some great things have been put in place and I’d still back everyone in that side to have a great summer against India.”

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