New England wicket-keeper Jos Buttler finally gets the Test status after serving as a One-Day cricketer and this, he says, is a “dream come true”.
Lancastrian Buttler, 23, has played 63 times in limited-overs cricket for his country and will now make his debut in Tests on Sunday in the third Test against India at Southampton.
Buttler comes in because the out-of-form Matt Prior has decided to take a break from international cricket so that he could regain his fitness and recover from Achilles, thigh and hand injuries.
It’s been a long term goal and ambition and it’s probably come sooner than I imagined
“It is a dream come true,” he told the Lancashire website.
“I’m sure it won’t sink in until I meet up with everyone and Sunday morning comes.
Buttler says his was a long-term goal to get into England Test side, but it has come sooner that he imagined.
“It’s been a long term goal and ambition and it’s probably come sooner than I imagined as well, which is great for me.
“It shows that I’ve been going in the right direction and improving fast, which I feel I’ve done this year at Lancashire.
“I still feel like I’ve got improvements to make, but it’s great that I’ve been named in the squad. I can’t wait to get started.”
“It was a really tough decision to leave Somerset, who helped me a lot but, with my long-term goal being Test cricket, I knew I had to leave. I guess it’s justified it, and it’s justified it pretty quickly.
“I didn’t expect to be playing Test cricket this quickly, but in sport opportunities come in different ways and at different times, and I’m delighted.”