IPL gave me huge confidence says Jos Buttler

June 6 - English batsman Jos Buttler believes the confidence gained in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the reason behind his fine form in the longest format of the game.

The 27-year-old, who returned to England's Test side after a gap of 18 months in the opener of the two-match series against Pakistan at the Lord's, struck a fine 67 before scoring a match-winning 80 in the second Test at Headingley.

Buttler, who plied his trade for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, credited the cash-rich tournament for his rise as a batsman.

"Those couple of weeks in the IPL gave me huge amounts of confidence," Buttler was quoted as saying by the ICC website.

"To be in those pressure situations in India, playing in front of crowds, the pressure of being an overseas player. That showed me a lot about where I was at and where I can get to, so that gave me a lot of confidence," he added.

Buttler said not worrying about the format of the game definitely helps in putting down the pressure.

"For me, not trying to worry about the colour of the ball definitely helps. Having put in good performances elsewhere and not putting as much pressure on myself," he said.

Buttler also said that the shortest format of the game made him realise the need to accept occasional failures.

"In T20 there's generally another game soon after, so you know you've got another opportunity coming up.

"You probably just move on if you fail. But in Test cricket, if you get out early, you have a long time to think about it," he said.

IANS