JOIN USJos Buttler, who came in for injured wicketkeeper Matt Prior, will make his Test debut on Sunday against India at the Rose Bowl here.
The Lancashire wicketkeeper-batsman said on Friday that he was ready for the big occasion. “I am ready. I think my cricket has been good and Test cricket is my ultimate goal. May be tensed a little bit, but mentally I am in a better space, I am playing well and I am ready. It is also about the momentum,” said Buttler.
Buttler said he had a chat with Prior at Trent Bridge where he came as a cover for the struggling senior stumper. “It was really good to have a chat with him at Trent Bridge. Yeah that’s probably the time I felt that I am close to playing for England. It was a confidence builder as well. Playing Test cricket for England is a great motivation,” he noted.
Buttler has already played 33 one-dayers and 36 T20 internationals for England, and he said the experience would stand him in good stead. “I think so. It was nice to have played ODI and T20 and it is an introduction to an environment, I mean the same players, same backroom staff. Looks quite familiar now. Sunday is going to be a big test for me.”
Buttler has a fame as an aggressive batsman, and the right-hander said he would look to play his natural game. “It is not exactly the same in Test cricket. Naturally I want to score runs and I don’t think anything should change too much. I want to stay aggressive, score runs, when Kevin Pietersen played, that’s what people wanted.”