England v India: Jos Buttler has the 'gift' to hit big Test scores - Michael Vaughan
- From the section Cricket
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| Fifth Specsavers Test, The Kia Oval (day two) |
| England 332 all out (122 overs): Buttler 89, Cook 71, Jadeja 4-79 |
| India 174-6 (51 overs): Kohli 49, Anderson 2-20, Stokes 2-44 |
| Scorecard |
England batsman Jos Buttler is a "special player" who has "the game and the gift" to make big Test centuries, says former captain Michael Vaughan.
Buttler, 28, struck 89 to help England recover from 181-7 to post 322 in their first innings of the fifth Test against India at The Oval.
The tourists fell to 174-6 at the end of day two in reply, trailing by 158.
"Buttler will strike fear through bowling attacks around the world," said Vaughan on Test Match Special.
"Once he gets more confident in this format and starts moving up the order, then he will have more opportunity to get big scores.
"At number seven you can only get so many - but if he can get to number five then he has the game and the gift to get big, big Test match scores."
Vice-captain Buttler shared a vital 98-run partnership with Stuart Broad after the early dismissal of Adil Rashid on day two, also hitting two sixes once Broad had departed for 38.
His knock of 89 is his second-highest Test score, following his maiden century in the third Test at Trent Bridge, while he has also made four half-centuries and averages 51 since his recall for the Pakistan series in May.
"England have got a special player - he knows how to play the pressure card and calm situations down," said Vaughan.
"He's not just crashing it about, he's playing with good technique, he's timing the ball, manoeuvring it into the gaps and leaving well.
"You just feel so relaxed when Buttler is at the crease - many times, in all three formats, he's got England out of tricky positions because of his temperament and mentality.
"He can soak up pressure but then suddenly grab the game, because of his striking ability."
Lancashire's Buttler said he had found a "nice balance and good mentality" for Test cricket since his return to the side after a 17-month absence.
"Of course you feel confident when you feel like you're contributing to the team and scoring runs - confidence is one of the golden eggs of any professional sport and I have been really pleased with how it's gone so far," he added.
"I've just enjoyed my cricket more than anything else."
One-day wicketkeeper Buttler took the gloves for the fourth Test, with Jonny Bairstow unable to keep due to a broken finger, but the Yorkshireman is back behind the stumps at The Oval.
"Jonny Bairstow had a poor week last Test - you could see he wasn't quite right," said Vaughan.
"Buttler had the gloves taken off him this week but he's just got on with it. He went out there as a batsman and produced the goods because he trusts himself to make good, sensible decisions in the middle."
