"I’m not on these guys’ level" - Jos Buttler talks about how anxious he was at the start of his career

Jos Buttler in action
Jos Buttler in action

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler recently revealed how daunted he was when he made his national team breakthrough.

Buttler struggled with imposter syndrome as he felt anxious and nervous while being near the established stars.

Jos Buttler first played for England when he made his T20I debut against India in 2011 in Manchester. He played as a pure batsman in that tie as Craig Kieswetter was England's wicket-keeper.

The Three Lions went on to win that game by six wickets, and Buttler didn't get a chance to bat. Speaking on BBC's Don't Tell Me The Score podcast, the right-hander talked about how anxious he was when he saw the likes of Kevin Pietersen in the dressing room.

"I remember my T20 debut really well and walking into a dressing room with Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Stuart Broad was the captain and these guys who I have been watching on the TV for years. Then suddenly, you’re in the same dressing room, and I felt a bit out of place like you shouldn’t really be here, I’m not on these guys’ level. It certainly took me some time to get going into international cricket.”

Since then, Buttler has come a long way and is currently regarded as one of the best white-ball batsmen in the game. The 30-year-old is expected to be in action in the Test series against Sri Lanka which starts today.

Jos Buttler also talked about how he still has the same anxieties before a game, even after winning the World Cup. The batsman felt he would get a new fresh perspective after lifting the coveted trophy, but he still feels the pressure to perform in every game.

"I think I was probably quite naive. In the sense that having achieved that thing(Winning the World Cup) I could ‘free wheel’ the rest of my career and never have another worry about cricket ever again. But then, as sure as eggs are eggs, the next match, I still have the same anxieties over things. And just because you’re a World Cup winner doesn’t mean you walk on water and you don’t care anymore, you don’t get those nervous feelings.”

Jos Buttler looks up to Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan
Eoin Morgan

Jos Buttler also talked about Eoin Morgan and picked him as a player who he looks up to in the current England team.

"I think he’s(Morgan) one of the best at taking emotion out of decisions and listening and thinking logically through it, and then coming to a conclusion and trusting it.”

Jos Buttler is currently the deputy to Eoin Morgan in white-ball cricket for England. The 30-year-old will be keen to perform in the upcoming away tour to Sri Lanka and then to India. Especially in the game's longest format where he hasn't really set the scene alight.

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Edited by Alex Turk