Janice R. Andrews
Chennai, Tamil Nadu – January 26, 2025: England’s captain Jos Buttler has carved his name into the T20 International (T20I) record books by becoming the highest run-scorer against India. During the second T20I match of the India-England series at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, Buttler surpassed West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran, amassing an impressive 611 runs, as reported by Wisden.
After suffering an eight-wicket defeat in the opening game of the series in Kolkata, England aimed to rebound strongly in Chennai. Winning the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bowl first, sending England in to bat. The English innings started rocky with Phil Salt being dismissed in the first over, bringing Buttler to the crease.
Demonstrating remarkable prowess and aggression, Buttler scored 45 runs off 30 balls before being bowled by Axar Patel. This innings followed his half-century performance in Kolkata, highlighting his consistent form throughout the series. England posted a total of 165/6, but India’s Tilak Varma’s unbeaten fifty steered them to a thrilling victory.
Buttler’s innings was pivotal not only in England’s batting effort but also in setting a new personal and series milestone. Crossing the 600-run milestone against India in T20Is, Buttler now holds 611 runs, overtaking Pooran’s previous record of 592, achieved in four fewer matches. This accomplishment places Buttler among an elite cadre of players who have exceeded 500 T20I runs against India, including Glenn Maxwell (574), David Miller (524), and Aaron Finch (500).
In addition, Buttler has become the 13th player in T20I history to score over 600 runs against a single opponent. Only cricket icons Virat Kohli and Babar Azam have surpassed the 700-run mark against one team, with Kohli scoring 794 runs against Australia and Azam amassing 880 against New Zealand.
Despite England trailing the series 2-0, Buttler expressed his pride in the team’s aggressive strategy, which turned a modest chase into an exciting contest. His record-setting performance underscores his reputation as one of the leading T20I batsmen in contemporary cricket.
