Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler (ANI Photo/Rahul Singh)

Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler reached a landmark in the IPL against Delhi Capitals, hitting his 600th six in T20 cricket. The England star became the fifth batter to reach this milestone, joining Chris Gayle (1,056 sixes), Kieron Pollard (981), Andre Russell (784), and Nicholas Pooran (712). Buttler’s 27-ball 52 featured five sixes and three fours at a strike rate of 192.59. His five sixes in the first six overs now rank as the second-most for a non-opener in an IPL innings, only behind Suresh Raina’s famous 87 off 25 balls, which included six sixes, against PBKS in the 2014 Qualifier 2 at Wankhede. This innings also ended Buttler’s 16-match wait for a T20 fifty, his last coming for Durban Super Giants against Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 earlier this year. He had a disappointing T20 World Cup, scoring just 87 runs in eight innings at an average of 10.87. So far in IPL 2026, Buttler has scored 116 runs in three innings at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate above 156. Across all T20s this year, he has 422 runs in 19 innings at 23.44 with a strike rate of 140.66, including two fifties and a best of 97*. In the match, after losing Sai Sudharsan cheaply for 12, Buttler and Shubman Gill added 60 runs to steady Gujarat Titans. Gill then partnered with Washington Sundar (55 off 32) for a 104-run stand, helping GT reach 210/4 in 20 overs. Glenn Phillips (14*) and Rahul Tewatia (1*) remained unbeaten. For Delhi Capitals, Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 2/55, while Kuldeep Yadav and Lungi Ngidi took a wicket each. Despite KL Rahul’s 92 off 52, DC fell agonisingly short by one run, with David Miller’s 41 off 20 balls keeping the contest alive until the final delivery.

Jos Buttler (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)

Jos Buttler says the Indian Premier League has been the biggest influence on his career, with lessons and interactions from the tournament helping him deliver for England cricket team across formats. Now with the Gujarat Titans, Buttler highlighted how access to elite players and coaches has sharpened his game, pointing to interactions with Rahul Dravid and Matthew Hayden as key influences, especially against spin.“Absolutely. As I said, the IPL has been the biggest influence on my career. The lessons I’ve learned during IPL seasons, the interactions I’ve had, and the people I’ve worked with as coaches and players have all been invaluable,” he said during a media interaction. “Some of those conversations have helped me while playing for England in Test cricket, T20 cricket, and 50-over cricket. It’s had a huge impact. “As Kevin (Pietersen) was saying in his interview on my podcast, the opportunity to build a relationship with Rahul Dravid and work on playing spin creates chances that would otherwise be very limited. “Even now, after just a few days here, getting to talk to Matthew Hayden about batting — I probably wouldn’t get that opportunity otherwise. So it’s had the same impact on me as it did for KP,” Buttler said. Buttler has scored 4,120 runs in 121 IPL matches at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 149.38, including seven centuries. He was in superb touch in IPL 2025, making 538 runs in 13 innings at 59.8 and a strike rate of 163, forming a strong top order with Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan. GT, champions in 2022, open IPL 2026 against Punjab Kings on March 31 in New Chandigarh. Despite a lean ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign, where he scored 87 runs in eight innings, Buttler said his mindset remains unchanged. “It’s no more or less important than any other IPL. No matter what’s happened before, I turn up looking forward to the season, wanting to contribute and play well. “The challenge is the same — prepare well, get into a good headspace, and give yourself the best chance to perform. Whether you’re in form or out of form, you need the energy to keep trying, keep preparing, and put yourself out there. “I come into every IPL excited, wanting to do well for the team. I just try to assess the situation and do what’s required on the day,” he said. On his World Cup struggles, Buttler admitted there was no single reason and said time away from the game helped him reset. “There’s a small circle of people I turn to for advice on what they’re seeing. I tried hard during the World Cup, but for a number of reasons, it just didn’t work out. “You have to accept that. It’s a game with elements you can’t control, and everyone is trying to perform. “At 35, I’ve had 15 years of highs and lows. You reflect and analyse, but there’s no one secret. If there was, everyone would score runs every time. “I’ve enjoyed some time away, reflected a bit, and the challenge remains the same — bring energy to practice, prepare well, and then start from zero on match day,” he explained. Buttler also praised uncapped pacer Ashok Sharma, whom he faced in the nets during his time with Rajasthan Royals. “He’s not just about pace. He has accuracy, a very good slower ball, and a big heart — qualities every fast bowler needs. He has all the attributes to be an exciting prospect.”

England’s Jos Buttler (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has questioned whether Jos Buttler still has the motivation to continue in international cricket after a disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.England’s run in the tournament came to an end on Thursday when the England cricket team lost a tense semi-final to the India national cricket team by seven runs at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Led by Harry Brook, England fought hard in the chase but ultimately fell short.

Buttler endured a particularly difficult tournament. Across eight matches, the right-handed opener managed just 87 runs and struggled to find rhythm at the crease. In the semi-final, he attempted to attack his way out of the slump but was eventually dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy. The England star finished the competition without a single half-century and failed to provide strong starts at the top of the order.Following England’s elimination, Harmison said Buttler now needs to reflect on his future with the national side.“He needs to look at himself in the mirror and say, ‘Do I really want to carry on playing international cricket? If he says, ‘I do’, then he keeps on playing for me. It’s just whether the ups and downs have taken that effect. I think Jos deserves the right to think, ‘Have I got one more cycle in me to get through to another tournament?,” Harmison said on TalkSport.“Only Jos can answer that, and he should be allowed to do that. But I just look at Jos, and I’m not sure he’s enjoying playing cricket for England at the moment,” he added.Harmison also suggested that if the passion for the game is fading, Buttler may need to consider stepping aside and allowing the next generation to take over.“If the candle is just flickering, and it’s not quite there, which doesn’t seem to have been an enjoyment factor for the last year or so, then maybe it is time for Jos to say, ‘I’ve given my time, given everything for England, I’ve been England’s best white-ball player, and it’s now time for someone else to take over,” said Harmison.Despite the recent struggles, Buttler remains one of England’s most decorated white-ball players. He played a crucial role in England’s triumphs at the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.The wicketkeeper-batter is also England’s most capped player across formats with 411 international appearances and is the nation’s highest run-scorer in T20 internationals with 4,037 runs. It remains to be seen whether he chooses to continue his career with an eye on the 2027 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Jos Buttler of England (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The T20 World Cup 2026 has been a campaign to forget so far for England’s senior batter Jos Buttler. The experienced right-hander has accumulated only 62 runs across seven innings, including five consecutive single-digit scores. He began the tournament with 26 against Nepal and 21 versus the West Indies, but his returns have dipped sharply since then. His struggles continued in the Super 8 clash against New Zealand in Colombo, where he was dismissed for a duck, caught behind off Lockie Ferguson. Across his last five outings against Scotland, Italy, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand, Buttler has managed scores of 3, 3, 7, 2 and 0, totalling just 15 runs.

Despite the lean patch, England captain Harry Brook has thrown his full support behind his predecessor. Brook urged critics to consider Buttler’s long-standing contribution to England cricket and went as far as describing him as the finest white-ball player the game has seen. “There’s been a lot said about Jos. I said the other day that he’s played 150 games for England in T20Is, and people probably need to take a little step back from that. He’s probably the best white-ball player to have ever played the game. He’s in a little bit of a rut now, but I think that’s an exciting thing for everybody in the world to know what he could produce in the next couple of games,” Brook said at the post-match presentation. “He’s obviously got a lot of fire in the belly, and he wants to go out there and show everybody what he’s made of. Look, he averages 34 striking at 145 in 150 games. He’s a phenomenal player, and I have no doubts he’ll go out and do well,” he added. England have Ben Duckett available as an alternative should they opt for a change. However, Brook’s comments suggest Buttler is set to feature in the semi-final in Mumbai next week against either India or the West Indies. The dip in form is not limited to this tournament. Across England’s internationals and the S20, Buttler has registered just one half-century in his last 24 innings. His previous fifty in an ICC event came during the 2024 T20 World Cup, when he struck an unbeaten 83 against the USA.

England’s Jos Buttler (AP Photo)

Jos Buttler etched his name into the record books on Saturday, becoming the first wicketkeeper-batter in history — and the quickest overall in terms of balls faced — to reach 4,000 runs in T20 Internationals. The England star achieved the landmark in just 2,670 deliveries, surpassing the previous benchmark held by Rohit Sharma.The milestone came during England’s Group C clash against Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Kolkata. Needing only three runs to get to the mark while chasing 153, Buttler reached 4,000 on the fourth ball of the second over. The occasion was doubly special as it also marked his 150th T20I appearance for England, making him the only English player — and one of just five worldwide — to feature in 150 or more matches in the format.His stay, however, was brief. Soon after reaching the landmark, Buttler was dismissed for three off four balls, chipping a catch to Brandon McMullen off Brad Currie.Buttler is only the fourth cricketer to breach the 4,000-run barrier in T20Is, joining Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Babar Azam. Kohli was the first to achieve the feat, getting there during the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England at the Adelaide Oval.Since making his T20I debut against India in 2011, Buttler has amassed over 4,000 runs at an average above 35 and a strike rate of 148. His tally includes 28 fifties and a highest score of 101. Notably, he remains the only designated wicketkeeper in T20I history to cross the 4,000-run mark.A former England captain, Buttler stands comfortably as his nation’s leading run-scorer in T20Is, well ahead of Eoin Morgan, who accumulated 2,458 runs in 115 matches. Widely regarded as one of England’s finest white-ball players, Buttler is also a prized asset in T20 leagues around the world.