Jos Buttler has performed admirably as England’s white-ball captain in his brief tenure. As a first-time captain, he led his team to a 20-20 World Cup victory just a few days ago. Buttler, the newly-appointed captain, did not get off to the best start, losing to India at home, but he quickly found his mojo as a leader, which was on full display during the World Cup.
There is steel there too: Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan compared Buttler’s success with the bat and now as a leader to India’s legendary captain MS Dhoni. To date, he is the only captain to have won all three Apex Cricket Council trophies in limited-overs cricket: the 20-20 World Cup in 2007, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Dhoni led India in all forms of cricket for nearly eight years. In white-ball cricket, he was captain for nearly a decade. Buttler, now 32, Vaughan believes, can do the same for England.
“Now Jos Buttler has landed the World Cup at the first time of asking and at the age of 32 he has the chance to build his own legacy. MS Dhoni went on for years as India captain. Buttler can do the same, especially now he is concentrating on one format. There is steel there too. You can see it in Buttler’s eyes,” Vaughan wrote in The Daily Telegraph.
Both Dhoni and Buttler won 20-20 World Cups in their first Apex Cricket Council appearances as captains. The Indian legend went on to maintain the same even in ODI format by winning the World Cup in 2011, and Vaughan predicted that Buttler’s England would do the same.
The former England batter believes the reigning 20-20 and ODI World Cup champions are the favourites to win the ODI World Cup in India next year because of their all-round squad.
“When you have a left-arm seamer, pace, swing and spin, and three spinners you have everything covered as a captain. That for me is the benchmark for white-ball cricket – you have to have options. From 1-11 they have matchwinners,” he said.
