Promising start to IPL 2026 a soothing balm for deprived Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler is a king in search of his once-glorious empire. As arguably England’s first global T20 superstar, he has had a forgettable 2026. In 11 T20Is this year for England, the dasher averaged 15.27 and had a strike rate of under 125.

IPL 2026 has, however, begun on a promising note for Buttler with scores of 38 in 33 balls against Punjab Kings and 26 in 14 balls against Rajasthan Royals. He reckons he was trusting his game and experience to regain the rhythm that has deserted him of late. He wanted to go on and make a match-winning contribution for Gujarat Titans, with the franchise still on the lookout for their first win of the season.

“I feel good actually,” Buttler said on For the Love of Cricket, a podcast he co-hosts with his Stuart Broad. “Feel good with the break after the T20 World Cup, just get to put the bat down and have some space. Basically, just focusing on myself, and on my set-up and making sure when the ball is released I am in a good position – which I do.

“And then just trusting my game, trusting my experience, and trying to let it happen. I’ve got in some good positions, like getting in with a couple of starts. You always want to go on and make those match-winning contributions, but it’s nice to be feeling calm in the middle and in a good space. Hopefully can keep that going.”

Buttler’s Gujarat Titans team-mate Sai Sudharsan said on Tuesday that the Englisman looked “closer than anyone else” to producing a gem of a knock. Buttler himself was simply focused on staying in the present.

“Every day you start on nought and that’s kind of where I’ve been looking at. Just looking forward, not thinking of the past, looking forward to the games, and just trying to be measured and not reading too much into past successes or past failures.” said Buttler.

“Sometimes you can – and I have certainly done it at times – get sort of a mental block against a certain bowler or a certain venue, and say ‘this doesn’t work for me, this ground’. Or ‘why can’t I score runs at any ground’ or that kind of mentality. I’m trying to be really distant from that.”