In a significant milestone for English white-ball cricket, Jos Buttler, the explosive wicketkeeper-batter, became only the second men’s player in England’s history to play 200 One-Day International (ODI) games as the hosts faced India in the opening encounter of a three-match series at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Tuesday.
Buttler, who made his ODI debut against Pakistan in Dubai on February 21, 2012, joins former World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan as only the second England men’s player to achieve the landmark of 200 ODIs.
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In the history of England men’s ODI cricket, only a select few have come close to the longevity required for 200 matches.
Player ODI Caps
Eoin Morgan 225
Jos Buttler 200
Paul Collingwood 197
James Anderson 194
Joe Root 190
Jos Buttler’s Illustrious ODI Career
Before the toss in Birmingham, where England’s current white-ball captain Harry Brook elected to bat first – Jos Buttler had amassed 5,515 runs in 199 ODIs at a strong average of 39.11, boasting 11 centuries and 29 half-centuries.
What makes these numbers staggering is the context: Buttler spent large portions of his career walking out at number six or seven, where batsman are rarely afforded the luxury of building long innings.
Known for his explosive batting, innovative shot-making, and safe glove-work behind the stumps, Buttler has been a cornerstone of England’s white-ball success, notably playing a key role in their 2019 ODI World Cup triumph.
His journey from a promising young talent to one of the format’s most dynamic players reflects England’s evolution into a white-ball powerhouse. Buttler has also captained the side in ODIs and T20Is following Morgan’s retirement, showcasing leadership alongside his on-field prowess.
Playing XIs For IND vs ENG 1st ODI
England skipper Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the first ODI of the three-match series in Birmingham on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli returned back in India colours after missing the Afghanistan series due to injury, while Jasprit Bumrah returns to the ODIs since the 2023 World Cup final. On the other hand, England picked two spinners in Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid and three seamers in Sam Curran, Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue.
India Playing XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vc), Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna
England Playing XI: Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Josh Tongue, Adil Rashid
