Jos Buttler best white-ball wicketkeeper-batsman at present, says Tim Paine

Overwhelmed by England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler’s brutal performances in the recently-concluded ODI series, Australia captain and fellow stumper Tim Paine has likened him with the former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni.

Buttler scored a fabulous century, reviving England from the depths to powering them to their first-ever 5-0 whitewash of Australia in a ODI series, in a low-scoring match on Sunday evening at Old Trafford.

Buttler scored an unbeaten 110 off 122 balls with 12 fours and one six to guide England almost single-handedly from 114/8 to 208/9, winning with nine balls to spare.

The right-handed batsman scored 275 runs in five matches with one century and two fifties as England whitewashed Australia.

The visiting team captain Paine, who was put in charge ahead of this series, did not fall short of words for Buttler’s appreciation.

“He’s good; he’s very good,” Paine was quoted as saying by ESPN.

“Right now, at the moment, he’d have to be the best white-ball wicketkeeper-batsman in the world. I don’t think there’s too many guys to challenge him. MS Dhoni is pretty good, but right at this moment, Jos is at the absolute peak of his powers,” Paine added.

The Australian captain continued, “He understands his one-day game so well and knows his strengths inside out and just doesn’t go away from him. He’s someone for our batters to watch and see first hand. Those experiences are going to be really good for D’Arcy Short or Travis Head to see him and Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy at their best.”

England captain Eoin Morgan too has heaped praise on Buttler, who played several such gritty innings in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Rajasthan Royals, which in return helped him earn a place in the national Test side.

Morgan said, ”When he plays like that he creates a lot of belief in the changing room that rubs off. He’s used all his experience and he’s somehow managed to get us over the line. It’s outstanding. Could anybody else in the side have done it? Probably not. But it shows the fight and the character we have in the locker when we need it.”