World Cup 2019: 5 Bowlers who can neutralize Jos Buttler in the tournament

The World Cup 2019 is just a few days away. The warm-up matches have already begun and the teams are using these games to gear up for the ultimate battle. England will begin as a firm favorite to lift the title. Their team has got all the bases covered and every department complements the other well. As a result, there are very few loopholes in their team.

From their 15-member squad, Jos Buttler is a player who looks a big threat. The 28-year-old has been in the form of his life. He has multiple dimensions to his game, of which innings building and aggressive cricket are the best. More importantly, they go hand-in-hand, making him an even more destructive player.

Therefore, it is quite necessary that teams plan a few tactics to counter him. There are only a few bowlers who have troubled him, and it is necessary that these bowlers get him out as early as possible. On this note, let us take a look at a few bowlers, who can get him out in the World Cup:

1. Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc is an attacking bowler, who isn’t afraid of being hit for runs. Therefore, his battle against aggressive Buttler will be a high-profile encounter. Starc has dismissed Buttler only twice across all the formats. However, the left-armer can create an angle, which can trouble any right-hander in the world.

Lord’s, the ground where the match between Australia and England will be played, last hosted an international fixture in July 2018. However, the county matches suggest that the ground generally offers swing from external factors. There is also a bit of seam. Therefore, Buttler might not find it easy if Starc manages to make the best use of the conditions.

2. Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is someone who can trouble even the best in the world. The two are yet to face each other in the international arena, but the leg-spinner has dismissed Buttler thrice in the IPL. However, he is one of the few English players who plays the spin very well.

Therefore, their contest will be the one to watch out for. English pitches are often flat, meaning a graveyard for the bowlers. But Old Trafford, where the match between Afganistan and England has been scheduled to be played, still offers a lit bit of spin. Therefore, it would be interesting to see how Buttler counters him.

3. Imad Wasim

In the recently concluded ODI series between England and Pakistan, Imad Wasim exposed Buttler’s weakness of playing aggressive cricket. He got him out twice in the last two matches, once on a duck and other time when he was well set.

However, it was not the delivery, but Buttler’s temptation to smash it that led to his downfall. In the fourth ODI, Imad bowled a flat delivery outside off, which Buttler failed to knock over backward point. In the fifth ODI, it was a leg-stump full toss that got him out. Clearly, these two weren’t wicket-taking deliveries, but Buttler got out due to his wrong shot.

4. Jasprit Bumrah

The match between India and England is the most awaited match of the World Cup. It would be the clash of the favorites, a contest between no.1 and no.2 of the world. While Jasprit Bumrah holds the key for India, Jos Buttler will be the biggest hurdle on his way. We know that Buttler is more like a finisher for England. Therefore, the onus of stopping him in the death overs would be on Bumrah.

These two players have never met in ODIs. However, Bumrah has dismissed Buttler once in the IPL and twice in Test cricket. All three dismissals have come in different modes, which speak volumes about Bumrah’s dominance over him. This shows that he has multiple tricks up his sleeves, and Buttler needs to be wary of him.

5. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is another bowler who has troubled Jos Buttler. He has dismissed him thrice in seven innings. Rabada had first dismissed him with a short ball. In the next match, he set him up beautifully, bowling the same kind of deliveries to keep him in doubts. Then he suddenly bowled a full delivery that caught the inside edge to hit the leg stumps.

Clearly, Kagiso Rabada had exposed multiple weaknesses of him in that series. However, that happened in 2016 and both of them have improved a lot now. Still, Jos Buttler needs to be wary of him and ensure that he does not throw his wicket. Rabada also won’t leave any stone unturned to rattle him.