Unfortunately, a period of 12 T20I and ODI matches in 24 days – this being the ninth of that stretch – has allowed little opportunity between games to put that into practice. In the last week, England have had just one training session, the day before the second ODI at Emirates Old Trafford, something which Buttler described as a “frustration” and a contributory factor to what have been indifferent performances at the start of his tenure.
“I think those training days are really important for that team cohesion, the energy within the group, the fielding drills, the camaraderie around the guys without the pressure of a game,” Buttler said on Sunday evening. “And they’re really vital to high performance. When you miss that chance as well, there’s a frustration. It is how it is, and that’s sort of the way this month has panned out. If we find those situations again, we just have to, I think, just find a way… even if you can’t give 100%, can you give 90% of 90? That’s a bit of a learning.”
“It’s tough, a lot of the time around training is when you do your best work, away from the pressures of the game, having good conversations and having a feel for where the group is at. And not just always in game mode, preparing for guys on the day. To get the highest standard of cricket possible, you need to prepare properly. Hopefully that’s something we can look at going forward. As a new captain, just having that time to bed in and do that work around your players and with your coaches. That’s been a frustration to be truthfully honest – it would be nice to have that time to do the work. But we don’t, so you just have to adapt and find the best way. It’s been a good challenge. “
Nevertheless, Buttler was critical of what he perceived as a lack of enthusiasm on the field, and challenged his players to give more of themselves, even amid the packed fixture list.
“I only just said to the guys, I thought we didn’t have quite the same intensity we had on Friday night,” he said. ” And I know it’s easy to say that when you get wickets and everyone’s up and about, but I thought we didn’t quite have the same intent and energy… maybe only for the first 10 overs of that 20 overs.
“I thought there was a clear difference when we do have it, so just to encourage us to always try and find that as a team. Take the result out of winning or losing, to make sure we’re always competing at our best and highest intensity.
“In theory it sounds easy: it’s one-all and you’re playing a series decider. But there’s no getting past the schedule does make that tough.”
Next up is the T20I series against South Africa which begins on Wednesday in Bristol, the first of three matches in five days. It will be the final action for England’s limited-overs team this summer before a seven-T20I tour of Pakistan ahead of the World Cup in the format, which begins in Australia in October. Though conditions will not be reflective of what is to come, given how bowler-friendly the one-day surfaces have been this summer, Buttler hopes players will be revived by the opportunity to put a marker down for the 15-man squad, and show what they are capable of in order to secure what would be his first series win as skipper.
“These are the games we want to be working towards, finding out our best combination, having in mind Australian conditions. We might not get those in these next few games, but it’s important to have in the back of your mind, exposing people to certain situations or give opportunities in certain areas which may not look right on the day, but in three to four months’ time it may have a bearing.
“It would be great to get out there and play some of our best cricket, which we have been short on so far. Just that level of intensity, knowing there’s a World Cup around the corner, guys trying to put themselves forward for a starting XI in a World Cup – which is exciting.”
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor for ESPNcricinfo