Jos Buttler’s participation in the rest of the series is uncertain although the England camp would be ecstatic following their comprehensive innings victory against India in the third Test. But there might be a bit of tension as well with dark clouds looming over wicket-keeper Jos Buttler’s availability.
For the unversed, Jos Buttler’s wife, Louise, is due to give birth to their second child soon. Jos Buttler even admitted that he might miss the fifth and final Test. However, his participation in the fourth Test at the Kennington oval is also not certain.
Jos Buttler’s Participation In The Next 4th And 5th Tests Is Uncertain But Joe root Remained Tight-Lipped
After all, England skipper Joe Root, after the conclusion of the third Test, refused to give assurance about Jos Buttler’s participation. Speaking on the matter, Joe Root said that things will be clearer as the game approaches. However, he remained tight-lipped about the veteran wicket-keeper’s plans.
“That will be cleared up in the next couple of days. Hopefully, we can have some clarity on that and get that across to you as soon as that’s set in stone. I couldn’t tell you honestly either way at the minute. I don’t want to say one thing and it not turn out to be true,” Root was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow is all but likely to take the gloves if Jos Buttler misses the remaining series. After the first three games, the series is perfectly poised at 1-1 and both teams would be determined to clinch the next game. The fourth Test gets underway on September 2 at the Kennington Oval in London.
Jos Buttler May Miss UAE Leg Of IPL 2021 And The Ashes
Notably, the decision of skipping the final two games might put Jos Buttler’s Test career at a standstill. Following the India series, England’s next assignment in the longest format is the high-voltage Ashes 2021-22 in Australia. While as many as 10 English players are reportedly planning to pull out of the series due to uncertainty over family’s allowance, only Jos Buttler has opened up about his position in public.
“One of the challenges is working out where the line is where you say, “I can’t do that”. I’ve sacrificed a lot for cricket and my wife and family have sacrificed a lot. You have to be open to saying no. It would be incredibly disappointing if some players feel like they can’t do it, but we’re in a world at the moment where that is a possibility,” Buttler had said.
England’s wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler said he might skip the end-of-year Ashes tour over concerns about being apart from his family due to Australia’s COVID-19 restrictions. England will play the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in October and November before heading to Australia, likely keeping players who feature in both away from home for four months.
