Top 5 best batting performances by Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler currently is one of the best wicket-keeper batsman going around. His exploits in limited overs cricket are remarkable, to say the least. His selection in Test cricket did come under scrutiny and did raise some eyebrows, however, he has blown all doubts to dust.

Considering, he has been a limited overs prodigy, former English players had doubts over his potential in the longer format. Nevertheless, he has performed some of the greatest rescue acts for England and kept them afloat in helpless situations. The ongoing test series between India and England has solidified his spot as a batsman. His wicket-keeping skills are quite handy as well.

We take a look at some of the best innings played by Butler in his short career in Tests.

5. 85 vs India, 3rd Test (1st innings) at Southampton, 2018

England v India

Jos Buttler scored 85 off just 83 balls, slamming 9 fours and 3 sixes. England eventually declared on 569 for the loss of seven wickets. A fourth innings target of 445 was set for India in which they could manage only 178.

England had leveled the series 1-1, winning by 266 runs. This was Jos Buttler's inaugural Test where he was called in as a replacement to Matt Prior, who was out with an injury. India had demolished England at Lord's, thanks to Ishant Sharma's spell and had looked set on continuing their run of success.

However, England's batting performance in this Test was a much more convincing one. With Alistair Cook scoring a fifty and Ballance and Root getting big hundreds, the stage was set was set for Buttler to shift gears and unleash some power-hitting and he did just that.

4. 80 vs Pakistan, 2nd Test (1st innings) at Headingley, 2018

England v Pakistan: 2nd Test - Day ThreeEnter caption

In the second test at Headingley, with the two-match series at stake, England had to play out of their skin to level it. England, bowling first had done a good job by blowing Pakistan for 174. Anderson, Broad and Woakes took three wickets each to complete a much-improved bowling performance.

While batting first, English batsmen had all got the starts, however, failed to convert them to 90s or a hundred. Jos Buttler was awarded a spot in the England Test squad on the back of his scintillating form in the Indian Premier League. Butler played a well-compiled innings along with the tail-lender Dominic Bess in the first Test in the 2nd innings, however, couldn't prevent an England defeat.

With a considerable lead eluding England, Buttler's determinant and invaluable innings of 80 off 101 balls proved to be decisive in securing a 189 run lead. The second innings proved to be even more miserable for Pakistan as they got bowled out for just 134 to hand the English side an innings victory. Jos Buttler was crowned the man of the match for his important fifty.

3. 76 vs India, 4th Test (1st innings) at Wankhede Stadium, 2016

Outstanding performance by Jos Buttler

This series though will be remembered for England's reincarnating spin woes and Virat Kohli's herculean rise to Test cricket. England were already 2-0 down in the series and were still finding their feet. Keaton Jennings and Moeen Ali had scored a century and a half-century respectively. However, Root, Bairstow, and Stokes failed to trouble the scores by a substantial margin and England were in the danger of throwing away a strong platform.

Jos Buttler, along with the tail had shared a collective stand of 103 and among that a notable 54-run stand with Jake Ball which took England to 400. Buttler was the last man to be dismissed for 76. However, Virat Kohli's double hundred made sure that a score of 400 was never going to be enough combined with Murali Vijay's and Jayant Yadav's centuries. India went on to pile 631. England were dismissed for 195 in their second innings, resulting in an innings defeat and conceding the series.

2. 69 vs India, 4th Test (2nd innings) at Southampton, 2018.

Jos Buttler

India had a resurgence in the 3rd Test at Nottingham after meekly surrendering in the first two tests. The fourth Test was heading India's way right from the first innings when England were seen struggling at 86-6. Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, who has been their find for the series rescued his side and helped them post a respectable 246.

Virat Kohli and Chateshwar Pujara looked comfortable over all other Indian batsmen. However, a flurry of wickets had put India on the brink of being bundled out for below 200. Pujara's gritty century along with the bowlers' resilience dragged India past 246 only to be bowled out, having a slender lead of 27.

The 2nd innings saw the English batting order disintegrating yet again. Skipper Joe Root held the innings together after which Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler provided the required stability. Buttler shared a 56 and a 55 run stand with Stokes and Sam Curran respectively.

Buttler was trapped lbw by Mohammad Shami for 69. England were bowled out for 271, setting India 245 to win in the fourth innings. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane revived the Indian innings when India were struggling at 22-3.

Kohli and Rahane put in 101 for the fourth wicket. The wicket of Kohli who was caught at short leg for 58 was the turning point of the match from where India kept sinking. Rahane scored a fifty but couldn't get his team over the line. In the end, India got bowled out for 184 and England clinched a series win.

1. 106 vs India in 3rd Test (2nd innings) at Nottingham, 2018.

England were immensely struggling against the pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah. They had been reduced to 62-4 on day four. Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler showed a great deal of resilience, putting in 169 for the fifth wicket in order to restore some pride.

Buttler got to his hundred in 153 balls by flicking a boundary to the square leg. After Butler was dismissed, England's chances of salvaging even a draw were being reduced. Bairstow was dismissed off his first delivery from Bumrah and Stokes was out, edging one to the slip.

Broad had kept the game alive for a few moments, however, it was Rashid and Anderson who had taken the game to the fifth day.India came in the second innings with an attacking mindset. The openers put in a half-century partnership for the first wicket again.

Kohli got to his century, Pujara had struck form finally and Pandya's run a ball fifty had set up for England to nail a record-breaking 521 to chase for victory. England, with none of the batsmen putting their hands up, were dismissed for 161. Jos Buttler was the top-scorer for England in the first and the second innings respectively with 39 and 106.

Jasprit Bumrah, who was brought in place of Kuldeep Yadav responded well with two wickets. The pick of the bowlers was Hardik Pandya, who took his first fifer in Test cricket, which still kept them 168 runs ahead. Root, winning the toss had sent India to bat.

India had other plans this time. India put on a 60-run opening partnership for a good measure. After Pujara played a hook shot which resulted in Adil Rashid catching the ball, England sensed a comeback. However, Kohli and Rahane put in 159 for the fourth wicket with Kohli being dismissed for 97 and Rahane scoring 81.

Nevertheless, India ended on 329, at least 100 runs short of where they would have liked to be. The maiden century by Buttler in Test cricket, even though went in a losing cause, in the context of the match, had taught the faltering batting order of England how to hang in there. India, after their mauling at Lord's, were staring at a massive series defeat at Trent Bridge, Nottingham where Australia got bowled out for 60 in the 2015 Ashes series. Virat Kohli was India's only batsmen, who was grinding it out in the battlefield. Their batting otherwise, had been hugely led them down.

It was just a matter of ten minutes on the fifth day that the last man Anderson was dismissed to hand India a huge win by 203 runs, being bowled out for 317.