'Big Learning For Me' - Jos Buttler Admits His World Cup 2023 Failure As England's Captain
Jos Buttler during World Cup 2023 (AP Photos)
Jos Buttler is eager and determined to reshape England's fortunes following the disastrous ICC World Cup 2023 exit on Indian shores. As the wounded three lions approach a new era with multiple fresh young legs on board for the upcoming limited-overs series in the Caribbean, the skipper laid bare his mental fortitude and inspiration to take the team forward.
Despite doubts over his own fate in the leadership post after England won just three of their nine league matches in a catastrophic campaign and just about escaped the embarrassment of missing the 2025 Champions Trophy, Buttler said the chance to paint the new canvas for his team is a source of great encouragement.
Speaking to the press ahead of the first ODI in Antigua on Sunday (December 3), the England captain responded steadfastly to the question raised on what motivates him to continue with the skipper's badge and as an explosive match-winner batter aged 33 after having bagged 300 international caps and won two different world titles for his country.
While hardly ever a skipper has managed to survive a combination of self-misery and a World Cup disaster, Buttler insisted "We have had one bad tournament" and expressed motivation to revive England's fortunes starting with the West Indies series as the next ICC event - the 2024 T20 World Cup - looms large in the picture.
"It's been in a great place for a long time and you see the depth of talent of guys coming through and you want to help shape that period of white-ball cricket," Buttler said. "That's something I feel responsibility and motivation for….to get England white-ball cricket back to where it's been for a long time."
Buttler admitted his own struggles played a big part in England's painstaking collapses throughout the World Cup and admitted one of his biggest lessons is to not let the captaincy responsibilities consume his batting version.
"That's a big learning for me, managing my own game is vital to the team and just finding different ways to do that to allow me to walk to the middle with a clear mind," he added.
"[And] realising that sort of tournament doesn't define you. I've got to use it as motivation and hunger to push myself and the team forward and take the learnings from that. Use it as a positive experience to go into the rest of my career."
Buttler's own struggles were one of the main reasons behind England's shocking collapse in India during the World Cup. The key middle-order giant could only muster 138 runs off his nine innings at a terrible average of 15.33.
 "Kashish Chadha")
