Opening the batting my favourite position in T20s: Jos Buttler

SOUTHAMPTON: Wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler, who guided England to a comprehensive win against Australia in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series, has said he loves opening the batting.

"It probably is my favourite position to bat in T20 cricket," said Buttler as quoted by Sky Sports.

"I've had most of my success in T20 at the top, but that's natural - if you bat in the top three in T20, it's the best place for everyone.

"We've probably got eight or nine guys who'd stick their hand up to bat in the top three; I'm very happy there, but I'm also very happy to do whatever the team needs of me," he added.

On Sunday, Buttler played an unbeaten knock of 77 runs as England comprehensively defeated Australia by 6 wickets. The wicketkeeper-batsman explored all corners of the ground as he smashed eight 4s and two 6s during his 54-ball knock and helped the hosts chase down 158 with seven balls to spare and seal the three-match series being played at the Ageas Bowl.

"I've played a lot of my career - T20 and one-day cricket - batting in the middle, so I'm very comfortable doing that as well. It's really for the coach and captain to decide," said Buttler.

"We've got lots of strength in depth; it's something that is the mark of good teams, good players fighting over positions and that will serve us well going forward.

"It was a great feeling to be able to walk off at the end, having won the game for your team - obviously a big game for us, with the chance to win the series, which we were determined to do.

"Once I came through the powerplay - it was one of those wickets where you felt like you needed a few balls to get used to the pace of it - and then the game was set up like a one-day chase.

"Irrelevant to me opening, I just saw it as if I was coming in the middle-order of a one-day game, the equation of trying to chase those runs down," he added.

Buttler will, however, miss the team's third and final T20 international against Australia slated for Tuesday. In a statement, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Monday that Buttler left the bio-secure bubble on Sunday evening following the team's victory over Australia to be with his family. IANS

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