T20 World Cup: Jos Buttler can emulate MS Dhoni’s longevity as captain, reckons Michael Vaughan

Melbourne: Former England skipper Michael Vaughan reckons that Jos Buttler could emulate MS Dhoni’s longevity as a captain after leading the side to their second Men’s T20 World Cup trophy at the MCG on Sunday.

Buttler, the right-handed opener, who was made the full-time white-ball captain in July after his predecessor Eoin Morgan retired from international cricket, didn’t have a rosy start to his stint as the England skipper.

Defeats to India in ODI and T20I series, followed by another T20I series defeat to South Africa and squaring the ODI series against the Proteas didn’t make for a great look. Moreover, he was a non-playing member in the squad for the seven T20Is tour of Pakistan due to his recovery from a calf injury sustained during The Hundred.

But Buttler was astute in captaining England for the first time in a global event, making the right calls tactically and personnel-wise as well as inspiring the team to perform as a unit to make England the first-ever side in men’s international cricket to hold 50-over and 20-over World Cup trophies at the same time with a five-wicket win over Pakistan at the MCG.

“Now 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.

“To be a winning captain you need the players but what this will do for Buttler is give him lots of confidence that his methods work. He is a young captain who has got better and better as the World Cup has gone on,” wrote Vaughan in his column for ‘The Telegraph’ on Monday.

Vaughan went on to point out that there is an element of having an answer to every challenge thrown towards England by Buttler, a factor which has led to the side having match-winners from top to bottom of the playing eleven.

“Buttler has had a trend and pattern but they have every tool in the bag with the ball so are able to counter whatever the opposition throws at them. There is steel there too. You can see it in Buttler’s eyes. When you have a left-arm seamer, pace, swing and spin, three spinners you have everything covered as a captain.

“That for me is the benchmark for white ball cricket — you have to have options. They have a good think-tank but you can only do that if you have world-class performers who can win you a game. From 1-11 they have match-winners.”

Vaughan also urged India, who were given a 10-wicket hammering at the hands of Buttler & Co in the semifinal, to take a leaf out of England’s successful run as a dominating white-ball side in international cricket. “This group of England white-ball players is extraordinary and for once English cricket has a trendsetting team the rest of the world should emulate.

“How are England going about their business? What do they do? If I was in charge of Australia I would be all over Mike Hussey, who was specialist batting coach with England at this tournament and asking what they do behind the scenes. If I was running Indian cricket I would swallow my pride and look at England for inspiration.”

–IANS