ODI World Cup 2023: Buttler backs England’s attacking approach in title defence in Indian conditions

The English skipper also tried to play down the defending champion tag, saying, “I think I have spoken quite a bit about not feeling like we are defending anything.”

England’s captain Jos Buttler speaks during captain’s press conference on the eve of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Ahmedabad. | Photo Credit: AP

England skipper Jos Buttler backed his side’s attacking approach to hold it in good stead in Indian conditions as it tries to defend the 50-over World Cup crown.

When asked if the surfaces, which could be slower and aid spin, pose the biggest challenge for his side’s approach, Buttler said, “There will be lots of different wickets we will play on around the country. There can be some of the best batting wickets in the world here. Some of them can be a little bit on the slower side; some can spin. So, reading the conditions quickly will be a big part of the game.”

“But we will always try to adapt our style of attacking cricket to whatever surfaces we are playing on. You have got to adapt to the game and play differently. But we will always - whatever the sort of game is - try and play at the higher level of that.”

The English skipper also tried to play down the defending champion tag, saying, “I think I have spoken quite a bit about not feeling like we are defending anything. We are in the same position now as every other team. We are here to try and win the World Cup. We all start in the same place and have big dreams and ambitions of going all the way.”

Commenting on the impact of the toss on the outcome of games, especially with dew expected to play a role during the tournament, Buttler said, “I think certainly in some games winning the toss will be advantageous. Again, it’s a big skill to try to read the pitches and conditions. Dew can be a big factor at certain times in India. I think the format is generally long enough that the toss hopefully won’t be the deciding factor in the game. I think you have to play good cricket to win the match.”

With Ben Stokes doubtful for the opener, England could opt for Harry Brooks to fill a place in the middle-order, who got a big vote of confidence from his skipper.

“We all know what a fantastic player he is. The start to the international career has been outstanding - in T20 cricket and the Test format. He’s not played loads of ODI cricket, but it’s a format that should suit him perfectly. It will allow him to bat for a long time and make big runs, which he enjoys doing. So, he has got all the shots, you know, from Test cricket, he can play big innings. So, it’s a format that should suit him well,” Buttler explained.