India vs England Test Series – Jos Butler to miss 3 Test matches: England first-choice wicketkeeper Jos Buttler is set to miss the three games of the four Test-match series against India which is set to commence from February 5. The 30-year-old who is also due to play for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) will fly home after the first Test in Chennai with Ben Foakes set to take over.
Buttler will have to travel back home due to England’s rest policy according to which all the multi-format players will be provided a block of rest at some point during post-Christmas winter schedule. With this policy, ECB aims to protect their best players during a year when they will play 17 Tests and contest a Twenty20 World Cup while dealing with the mental challenges of living in bio-secure bubbles for weeks on end.
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Meanwhile, Buttler’s absence can be an opportunity for Foakes to display his wicketkeeping skills in the last three Tests.
Notably, England on Thursday announced the squad for opening two Tests against India and Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Mark Wood, who are currently in Sri Lanka, have been rested by the Three Lions, while Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Rory Burns all added to the squad currently touring Sri Lanka.
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Archer and Stokes were rested for the Sri Lanka series and Burns was at home for the birth of his first child.
Also, with Archer and Stokes returning, and subject to fitness of the rest of the squad, Somerset’s Craig Overton will return home after the Sri Lanka series.
England squad for India (first two Tests): Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler*, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes
Reserves: James Bracey, Mason Crane, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson, Amar Virdi
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