Jos Buttler is in the firing line after yet another disappointing showing in the first innings of the fourth Ashes Test match at Sydney.
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Walking in to bat at 164-5, Buttler failed to impress, registering an eight-ball duck, the ninth time he had been dismissed in single digits in 29 innings in the last two years. The wicketkeeper went without a Test hundred in 2021, notching up just one fifty, and his dismissal on Friday, pushing a fuller delivery from Pat Cummins to short cover, further intensified the scrutiny on him. Buttler has managed to score only 96 runs in the ongoing Ashes thus far, at an average of 16.
His dismissal in the fourth match further led to calls for his ouster.
Jeez, that’s a classic Buttler dismissal.
We’ve run out of road with this Test career.— Rory Dollard (@thervd) January 7, 2022
Jos Buttler really doesn’t look a Test player right now, does he? #Ashes #PinkTest
— Russell Bennett (@rgbennett) January 7, 2022
Buttler caught at short cover is the most predictable and frustrating thing in his frustrating Test career. #Ashes
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) January 7, 2022
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The dismissal continued Cummins’ hold over Buttler.
Jos Buttler has now been dismissed six times by Pat Cummins at an average of just 8.83 runs per dismissal. #Ashes
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 7, 2022
There were those who stuck up for Buttler while acknowledging the shot was a poor one.
Jos Buttler is an easy target for criticism at times imo. Don’t think Ben Foakes/AN Other would make a huge difference. But Buttler does do some maddening things when he bats. Like that. Awful #Ashes
— Rob Johnston (@RobJ_Cricket) January 7, 2022
With Bairstow, arguable Buttler’s main competitor for the gloves, tonning up at the end of the day, the pressure on Buttler only mounted further.
