Where's Jimmy?
Buttler's had a licence to play like that his whole test career and he never has. I wouldn't be screwing up an order that's currently working - presumably you'd have to drop Pope everyone would have to move up to accomodate him.Never thought I would say this but I am beginning to think England should pick Buttler for Tests again (as a specialist batter not a keeper). If he went out there knowing he had the licence to play like Bairstow is playing he could be unstoppable.
On the opening front, Haines has had at least two good seasons now, albeit in Div 2, and bowls a bit. Is he not in contention?
Buttler to openButtler's had a licence to play like that his whole test career and he never has. I wouldn't be screwing up an order that's currently working - presumably you'd have to drop Pope everyone would have to move up to accomodate him.
Crawley's done more enough to keep his place by the special selectorial standards applied to him.
Why would that change anything?Buttler to open
Has he? Didn't look that way during the Ashes.Buttler's had a licence to play like that his whole test career and he never has.
Yeah I don't think it's true, best summed up by UppercutHas he? Didn't look that way during the Ashes.
Yeah he was an incredibly dull test batsman. I don't watch much LO cricket and I'd go whole summers completely forgetting that he's the most exciting LO cricketer in the world. It's like discovering Jim from Accounting headlines Glastonbury every year.
Unlikely isn't it? Considering how Root has pretty much always played his white ball game in Tests when he's in form, and some players have happily slogged like Moeen Ali and especially Broad.That said, I wouldn't have thought he would have been especially inhibited under Bayliss, but if I can use statsguru properly his record under him is a shade worse than otherwise. Unless there was significant pressure from Cook/Root on how to play, which messed with him
Yeah, I don't imagine there was any such pressure from his captains, was just throwing out there as a possibility. Agree especially others' approaches during his time in the team would suggest that being attacking wasn't being frowned upon. Maybe media pressure just did get in in his head.Unlikely isn't it? Considering how Root has pretty much always played his white ball game in Tests when he's in form, and some players have happily slogged like Moeen Ali and especially Broad.
There's a difference between an implicit acceptance of Buttler being attacking which he probably got and the active encouragement which he would probably have now though. Like if they're telling Alex Lees who is really just some county standard opener to go out there and pretend to be Sehwag then that will have made an impact on Buttler too.
I think Buttler always had a licence to bat his one day game in Tests, and the fans almost certainly wanted him to be a Gilchrist-esque puncher at #7 in both his runs as keeper-bat. But it's possible that no one ever told him, and the media haranguing around his role over-complicated things.
If you listen to the interviews with Stokes and Bairstow after the game yesterday they will keep talking about 'clarity'. Maybe if that's missing you will miss the simple things.
Billings averages 36 or something in that region playing on some of the most bowler friendly pitches in the championship. He was picked initially because he was in Aus playing BBL but he's alot better than you give him credit for.I wouldn't consider Buttler as a specialist bat or ahead of Foakes but I'd have definitely picked him for the last Test ahead of Billings who is kind of just ugh. If you're going to pick someone based on white ball cricket you really want their white ball record to be, um, good.
I wonder if Buttler's just decided he doesn't want it anymore.
Yeah the only strong argument I see against him is that it might not do Buttler good to keep wicket and bat in all 3 formats while captaining in two around England's packed schedule. I'd have no issue with him being in the side as I don't think either of Foakes or Billings is a particularly outstanding cricketer while Buttler unquestionably is.I wouldn't consider Buttler as a specialist bat or ahead of Foakes but I'd have definitely picked him for the last Test ahead of Billings who is kind of just ugh. If you're going to pick someone based on white ball cricket you really want their white ball record to be, um, good.
I wonder if Buttler's just decided he doesn't want it anymore.
I just don't think his keeping is up to it. He's alright to pace but his keeping to spin is as bad as I've seen in tests.Yeah the only strong argument I see against him is that it might not do Buttler good to keep wicket and bat in all 3 formats while captaining in two around England's packed schedule. I'd have no issue with him being in the side as I don't think either of Foakes or Billings is a particularly outstanding cricketer while Buttler unquestionably is.
In general I think a refusal to 'go back' is usually a sign of unnecessary stubbornness more than anything else.