Jos Buttler seems to have found his groove again. After stepping down as England’s white-ball captain following their disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, the 34-year-old has shown early signs of returning to his destructive best with Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025.
The Weight of Captaincy
The burden of leadership had clearly taken its toll on Buttler. When announcing his resignation on February 28, he admitted he had “reached the end of the road” after England’s early exit from the Champions Trophy.
His personal form had suffered too – he passed fifty just twice in his last 21 ODIs stretching back to September 2023. The mental toll was evident in his performances, with the once-carefree batter looking weighed down by responsibility.
A Fresh Start with Gujarat Titans
After seven years with Rajasthan Royals, Buttler was picked up by Gujarat Titans for a whopping ₹15.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. The franchise fought off fierce competition from his former team, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants to secure his signature.
The change of scenery is really paying off. In his first three innings for the Titans, Buttler has already struck two half-centuries, including a match-winning 73 not out off just 39 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore. His current tally of 166 runs puts him among the leading run-scorers in the tournament.
Finding Joy in Cricket Again
What’s most striking about Buttler’s performances is the visible enjoyment he’s displaying on the field. “I’ve had a few months of pretty unenjoyable cricket, so trying to make sure I’m out there giving my best,” he said after his match-winning knock against RCB.
The freedom from captaincy has allowed him to focus solely on his batting. “Being free of that certainly has given me a lot more space in my own mind and I feel a lot more relaxed and I can just focus on my own game,” Buttler explained.
This mental clarity is translating into confident stroke-play. His strike rate of 163.16 in IPL 2025 so far shows he’s back to his attacking best, a far cry from the tentative batter we saw during England’s recent struggles.
Adapting to a New Role
Interestingly, Buttler is batting at number three for Gujarat Titans rather than his usual opening position. Captain Shubman Gill is expected to open the batting alongside the replacement for Wriddhiman Saha, and Jos Buttler has demonstrated his adaptability by embracing this slight adjustment.
Also, Buttler has resumed his wicketkeeping duties, a role he had previously stepped back from in international cricket.“Jos Buttler is picked as a wicketkeeper,” Gill confirmed at the pre-tournament press conference, despite the presence of other keeping options like Anuj Rawat and Kumar Kushagra in the squad.
Can He Sustain This Form?
The key question is whether Buttler can keep up this strong form throughout the tournament. His IPL history shows he’s got the potential to dominate a whole season—back in 2022, he racked up an impressive 863 runs, including four centuries, for Rajasthan Royals.
That said, his performances have been a bit up and down since then. In 2023, he managed 392 runs with four half-centuries but didn’t reach triple figures once. Last year, he notched two centuries, but in his other nine innings, he only went past 30 twice.
At 34, with his 35th birthday approaching in September, there are legitimate questions about whether age and recent injury problems might be catching up with him. He battled a calf problem before the Champions Trophy, which could be a concern for a player whose game relies heavily on explosive power.
What This Means for England
Jos Buttler may have stepped down as captain, but he remains a vital player for England’s white-ball teams. His recent form in the IPL will undoubtedly be a boost for both England fans and their new white-ball coach, Brendon McCullum, who has recently taken the reins.
McCullum spoke highly of Buttler after his resignation: “I feel incredibly sad for Jos. We’ve all seen over the last couple of years how much he has invested in captaining his country and trying to get the very best out of those guys around him.”
A refreshed Jos Buttler might be just the boost England needs as they aim to bounce back from their Champions Trophy setback. His experience and match-winning ability remain unquestioned – he is widely regarded as England’s greatest-ever white-ball player.
The Verdict
The initial signs indicate that Buttler feels unshackled now that he’s no longer shouldering the responsibilities of captaincy.
His batting looks more fluent, his body language more positive, and most importantly, he appears to be enjoying his cricket again.
As Sky Sports’ Matt Kabir Floyd noted, Buttler’s recent performances are “a timely reminder that, regardless of his perceived faults as a captain, Buttler is the greatest white-ball player England have ever produced.”
For Gujarat Titans, who invested heavily in him, Buttler’s form is crucial. With his 7 IPL centuries (2nd only to Virat Kohli’s 8th) & a career strike rate of 147.53, a firing Buttler could be the difference between playoff qualification & an early exit.
If he can maintain this trajectory throughout IPL 2025, we may well see the Jos Buttler of old – the fearless, innovative batter who can dismantle any bowling attack in the world. The early signs are promising, but the true test will come as the tournament progresses and pressure intensifies.
For now, cricket fans should simply enjoy watching a master craftsman rediscover his love for the game, free from the shackles of leadership that had begun to dim his considerable light.
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