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With persistent rain in Headingley, England’s first home T20I of the four-match series against Pakistan got washed out. This gives the home side and their captain Jos Buttler little concern going into the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America, with not a lot practice as a team.

England are the defending champions of the tournament, having won the trophy in 2022 for the second time, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against the same opponent. However, with so much expectation going to India for the 50-over World Cup, Jos Buttler and his men faced a horrible time before the Christmas party.

The captain himself had a very poor campaign where he could manage only 138 runs at an average of only 15.33 in nine fixtures as his struggle got more critics given the lack of communication with the squad.

‘You guys are sat here talking as if no-one knows what’s knows what’s going on’ – Jos Buttler

After the washout game at Leeds, the host broadcaster Sky Sports invited the England leader to get his view on how the team is prepared going into the first game against Scotland in the world event.

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Jos Buttler took a defensive shot at this leadership skills, feeling that the issue for England has been simple, as he looks not to get confused between freedom and lack of clarity.

‘We just didn’t play well enough. The big learning for me is to try not to confuse freedom with maybe a lack of clarity. Sometimes you’re trying to let players play with freedom and you don’t want to set in too much. But you’ve to make sure you don’t miss things,” The England captain Jos Buttler said to Sky Sports at Headingley.

The last ODI World Cup saw England trying to go with various plans. The same team which was winning games at home against different oppositions just before the start of the World Cup, are trying find clarity on selection of the players and how to adjust them in the team.

‘Maybe [there could have been] more communication at times, to make sure people are clear on what is needed from them. Even if there was a lack of clarity, or whatever you want to call it, I’d still expect us to perform better than we did. It’s easy to look at results and say there are certain things you would do differently or say differently. We just didn’t play well enough,” The wicket-keeper batter expressed.

In the last T20 World Cup too, England made a great comeback by clinching the title, having lost one of their group game against Ireland at the MCG in a rain-affected contest. This could well be the same scenario where the 2019-ODI Champions look to make a comeback after a horrible October and November in 2023.

‘I don’t see why not. You guys are sat here talking as if no-one knows what’s going on. I’m pretty sure there’s some experienced players in there who know how cricket works, and know how to play T20 cricket,” Jos Buttler responded in a question to his former captain Eoin Morgan.

England look for balance of youth and experience in the T20 World Cup

Last time England played a T20I series, it was the opening partner of Jos Buttler, Phil Salt who cracked the West Indies at their home to all part for a few fantastic knocks. When he flies to the Indian Premier League (IPL), Salt ends the season with 435 runs at a strike rate of 182.

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‘We’ve got a really nice blended squad actually. We’ve got a lot of experience but some guys who are really on the upward curve, the likes of Phil Salt, Will Jacks and Harry Brook, who is still very early in his international career. Those guys are really trending in the right direction and pushing this team forward,” Jos Buttler remarked about the England squad for the world cup.

Buttler feels that the improvement of Salt in the off-side has been quite interesting, as he has displayed in the IPL 2024. England’s first game of the tournament is at the Bridgetown, Barbados. They also have taken the consultant of Kieron Pollard for the campaign, and feel really confident for the tournament.

‘The conditions out there, the wickets can be a little bit slower. Spin will play a big part out there, as well as extra pace. I think the wind is a big factor on those island grounds too. But one thing that people will have to react quickly to in that World Cup is a very early start, with some 10 o’clock or 10.30 starts,’ ’ Jos Buttler concluded.