The End Of The World's Best? Jos Buttler In T20 World Cup 2026 Stares At Dread

Jos Buttler for England [Source: X]

A constant struggle, that pain in the bottom of the heart for Jos Buttler has been eating him away in the current T20 World Cup 2026. From white-ball greatness to a mediocre muddler. Buttler’s journey from the very top to hiotting the rock bottom has been frustrating.

Jos Buttler, once one of the greatest in the format have considerably struggled in what can be called the biggest stage of the game, unfortunately in front of minnows too. An average of 10 is not what you expect from a striker who averaged 65 at a strike rate of 143.31 just five years back.

Jos Buttler Struggles Apparent in T20 World Cup 2026 

Age gets everyone. Even the greatest of the generation. Even the God (of Cricket). Why will it be biased against Buttler? The 35-year old have done pretty much everything for the country since his debut back in 2011.

A legacy of 15 years that accounts for an average of 34.00 from 153 appearances. Not to forget, at a strike rate of 147.88, which is also the highest amongst England players who have played 100 or more matches in T20Is.

But is legacy enough? From what it seems now, the wicketkeeper batter is visibly struggling to connect the bat and the ball, with mishits and the lack of ability to misread the ball being the primary cause for his walk back to the pavilion.

[Jos Buttler in T20 World Cup 2026]

Let’s take a look at the dip in the performance the England batter has witnessed over the years.

Jos ‘The Boss’ Over The Years in T20I Cricket

[Buttler's T20I numbers over the years]

Jos Buttler’s T20I form graph shows a story of sharp peaks and sudden dips. The most striking phase being 2016, where he exploded with 366 runs at an average of 61, marking a huge rise after a poor 2015.

His absolute peak came in 2021, scoring 589 runs at 65.44, including a century, establishing himself as one of the world’s best T20I batters. Although the ex-England captain led his team to the T20 World Cup 2022 title, it seems like his days are now over, marked by the dips in recent years.

Also Read: Harry Brook Opens Up On Controversial Jos Buttler Show Amid T20 World Cup Form Woes

How Jos Buttler Ruled The IPL?

Buttler has remained a dominant force in the Indian Premier League as well, consistently producing big seasons, including a record 2022 campaign with over 800 runs and four centuries.

[Buttler's IPL numbers over the years]

Even in recent IPL seasons, his strike rate and average have stayed strong, showing he still thrives in franchise cricket. In contrast, his T20I form is a bummer. The question mark evolves. Given his age, workload and fluctuating international returns, is it the right time for Buttler to retire from T20Is and focus fully on franchise leagues?

Time To Pass Over The Baton?

Harry Brook and Jamie Smith have already stepped up to fill the space once dominated by Buttler in England’s white-ball setup. Brook has taken over the captaincy and established himself as a core top-order batter, while Smith has emerged as a long-term wicketkeeper-batter option.

Is it goodbye for Jos Buttler then? Maybe, maybe not. England have qualified for the T20 World Cup 2026 Semi Finals, as Buttler averaged just 10 from 6 matches with single-digit scores in his last 4 appearances. A big turn down for someone who is expected to be a match-winner.

However, England will continue to back him, and he is likely to get a chance to redeem himself and play the hero in the semi-final. A 67-ball 101-type knock is what is needed, as Buttler must channel his earlier form if he wants to walk the path he once carved, rather than fading into the sidelines on the biggest and most respected stage of the game.

Also Read: 14-Ball Fifty! Show-Stopper Vaibhav Suryavanshi Warns IPL Teams With Brutal Knock