Throughout his career, Jos Buttler has delivered numerous standout performances.
His exceptional power, remarkable hand-eye coordination, and flexible wrists have contributed to over 11,000 international runs, earning him the title of England’s greatest limited-overs batsman.
Buttler boasts eleven ODI centuries, two in Test cricket—a format he struggled with—and one in T20 internationals, alongside seven centuries in the prestigious Indian Premier League (IPL).
Virat Kohli holds the record for the most IPL centuries with eight, although Kohli has participated in over 100 more innings than Buttler, who is now a former white-ball captain for England.
However, Buttler’s recent performances have not been up to his usual high standards, a situation he aims to improve as he competes for Gujarat Titans in this year’s IPL, commencing with a match against Punjab Kings on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2pm.
Buttler’s Recent Struggles
In his last 21 ODIs dating back to September 2023, Buttler has only scored over fifty on two occasions and did not surpass 40 during a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign in February, leading to his resignation as captain ahead of the last match against South Africa.
Buttler’s performance in the IPL has also declined since his outstanding 2022 season with the Rajasthan Royals, where he accumulated 863 runs in 17 innings, including four centuries and four fifties, before taking over as England’s captain from Eoin Morgan.
His returns in 2023 saw him score 392 runs with four fifties, and although he hit two impressive centuries in 2024, he only exceeded 30 runs in two of the nine other innings he played.
New Opportunities with Gujarat Titans
Rajasthan’s decision to part ways with him after seven years, possibly due to a dip in form, led to Gujarat acquiring him for £1.4 million at last November’s mega auction.
As Buttler turns 35 this September and grapples with a recent calf issue, age and injury concerns may be catching up with a player who has excelled for nearly 15 years.
Focus on Run Scoring
Fans hope that Buttler’s choice to step down from England’s captaincy will reinvigorate his later career stages, allowing him to concentrate on his primary strength: an explosive batting style for both country and club.
He may even take on a higher batting order role in ODI cricket, similar to his position in T20s, as commentators like Nasser Hussain have suggested he batted too low at No. 6 during the unsuccessful Champions Trophy campaign.
Buttler’s Role in IPL and Gujarat Titans
Buttler is expected to open the batting and keep wicket for Gujarat, potentially forming a dynamic batting pair with India’s Shubman Gill. The Titans are looking to bounce back from an eighth-place finish last season, having secured the championship in their inaugural 2022 season against Buttler’s Rajasthan and finishing as runners-up in 2023.
Gujarat also features a strong bowling lineup, including Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj, Afghanistan’s leg-spin sensation Rashid Khan, and South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. The versatile Glenn Phillips, who excels in batting, bowling, and fielding, is also part of the squad.
For England supporters, eyes will be on Buttler as it is high time the country’s all-time leading white-ball batsman returns to peak form.
Catch all 74 matches from the 2025 IPL live on Sky Sports Cricket, culminating in the final in Kolkata on Sunday, May 25.
