England vs India: Jos Buttler dismisses 'friendship' could play a part in Test series

The preparations surrounding the upcoming Test series between England and India are going on with full force. The first match will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham on August 1. The T20I series was won by the Men in Blue after which Eoin Morgan and Co stormed back to emerge victorious in the ODI series. The Test series is speculated to keep the audience on the edge of their seats as well.

In the meantime, Jos Buttler, the Somerset-born cricketer, reckoned that friendships are unlikely to make an impact in the matches. The 27-year-old, who earlier had an impressive stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, believed that the cricketers now are much more familiar to each other’s traits on the cricket pitch owing to playing domestic leagues around the globe.

It will be highly competitive

“There are a few guys I have played with. Naturally, you have friendships with them but on the field, they seem to be forgotten and everyone is competitive. There are familiar faces, guys you know a bit more about than just the cricket. That is one of the great things about world cricket now.

You get these opportunities to play around the world and meet these great people. There is a lot more familiarity between the sides than there ever has been before,” the wicketkeeper-batsman was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“I am sure there will be moments in the Test series, especially on the field, when those things look like they have been forgotten. It will be highly competitive. What you have to remember is people can get on well but the reason guys have got to international sport is they want to win and are competitive so it will be no different on the field. Off it maybe a little bit,” he added.

Buttler recently made his Test comeback after a gap of approximately one and half years against Pakistan and scored a couple of impressive half-centuries at Lord’s and Headingley respectively. He carried over his form in the T20I and ODI matches against England and India and on the backs of the stupendous performances, he was drafted into the squad for the upcoming five-day fixtures as well.

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