Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler rewired the limits of white-ball batting from the moment he arrived in England's limited-overs sides. His genius lay in unhurried hands-and-wrists control that could flip a game in a single over, scooping fast bowlers over fine leg or reversing the field with audacious ramps. That improvisational skill made him a one-man matchup problem, capable of taking 20 runs off the best death bowlers without seeming to force anything. His keeping, initially underrated, became a genuine asset in the T20 era, sharp behind the stumps and quick to read a batter's intentions.

Buttler came through at Somerset with uncommon talent, but it was a 121 off 74 balls against Sri Lanka at Lord's in 2014 that announced him as something rare. Greater heights followed. In England's 2019 World Cup triumph he was the fulcrum of the middle order, and in the final against New Zealand he ran out Martin Guptill off the last ball of the super over to seal the title. He then captained England to the 2022 T20 World Cup, taking the white-ball job on after Eoin Morgan's retirement.

Buttler led with the same level-headedness that marked his batting, trusting data and instinct in equal measure. In the IPL he won titles with Mumbai Indians, became the cornerstone of Rajasthan Royals' batting and moved to Gujarat Titans in 2025. He stepped down from the England white-ball captaincy in 2025 but remains the heartbeat of the side, still guided by a simple principle: hit the gap, take the risk, let the wrists do the talking.