Cricket Root to join Buttler at Thunder in Big Bash League Jos Buttler and Joe Root will play for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League between England's tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies. Harry West 24 August, 2018 09:45 IST England duo Joe Root and Jos Buttler - Getty Images Harry West 24 August, 2018 09:45 IST Joe Root is set to gain extra Twenty20 experience after it was announced he will join Jos Buttler in signing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League. The England duo are set to be available for the first half of the 2018-19 season, which is due to get under way shortly before Christmas.READ: England allows Stokes to play as batsman for Durham After England's tour to Sri Lanka, which ends in late November, the pair will be free to join up with the franchise, for whom Buttler featured in 2017-18. Root, who has signed his first overseas T20 deal, and Buttler will, then, have to shift their focus back to their international commitments as England prepares to visit West Indies in February and March. Subscribe to our daily newsletter Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox! SUBSCRIBE Please enter a valid email address.