3 min readUpdated: Apr 12, 2026 09:10 PM IST
After a match-winning 37-ball 60 against Lucknow Super Giants, Jos Buttler credited former Australia star Matthew Hayden with helping him after a wretched T20 World Cup for England. A man who terrorised bowlers at the top of the order, Hayden has been hired as a batting coach for Gujarat Titans.
Buttler said that a simple question from Hayden, in one of their earliest sessions together, had worked wonders for him.
“He just asked actually one of the first few sessions, ‘how well are you watching the ball? It doesn’t look like you’re tracking it that well’. So, you know, great players like him with the most simple advice, which is nice. And yeah, he’s been great,” Buttler told JioHotstar after helping the Titans beat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets on Sunday at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium.
“I’ve really enjoyed spending time with him. Obviously, he’s got a big presence and that aura. So when he speaks, you listen,” he added.
Playing for England at the recent T20 World Cup, Buttler managed 87 runs in eight innings at an average of 10.87 and a strike rate 116.00.
Buttler added that he had taken some space from the sport which also helped him in his batting rejuvenation.
“A little bit of space from the game and time to just kind of think and it sort of just came to me,” BUttler said in the post-match conversation.
Story continues below this ad
“I’ve just been focusing a lot in the weeks I’ve been here on my setup and my basics. I think a few technical issues maybe crept into my game, which actually allowed me not really seeing the ball that well. So it’s a hard game if you’re not picking up the ball well. So I’ve just been focusing on everything pre delivery and then backing that. As I said, I’ve played for 15 years. I’ll know what to do when I get in.”
He added that having his family around travelling with him during the IPL helped as well.
“Obviously, you know, the cricket is high intensity and it’s busy. So it’s nice to have them here and distractions away from the game and getting, you know, spend time with them.”
