Jos Buttler is batting like a dream. Someone suggested on social media the England star batsman deserves knighthood and the Prime Ministership.
While it can’t be said with certainty whether Buttler can run a country or not, there is no doubt about his abilities with a bat in hand.
In the fifth and final ODI against Australia, England were dead and buried at 114-8 chasing 206 for victory and a 5-0 series sweep.
Buttler had spinner Adil Rashid for company and even though the leggie has three international fifties, the pitch in Manchester and a rejuvenated Australian bowling attack meant hopes were not high in the England camp.
But Buttler kept going. Hitting 12 fours and one six, the wicketkeeper batsman notched up a fine 110 not out from 122 balls to secure a tense one-wicket, seal the whitewash and establish himself as the one of the biggest match-winners in the game at the moment.
In his last 14 innings, Buttler has amassed 864 runs at an average of 108 with 10 fifty-plus knocks. That run includes five consecutive fifties in the Indian Premier League, a series leveling 80 not out against Pakistan in the Leeds Test and three unbeaten fifty plus knocks against Australia in the ODIs.
His century on Sunday was by far the slowest of his six ODI tons. But given the context of the match and conditions, it was one of his finest in England colours.
Eoin Morgan’s team are the number one ODI side in the world and the clear favourites to lift their maiden 50-over world title at home next year. If Buttler continues to bat the way he is right now, it’s difficult to pick any side that can stop England.
