It's clear: Jos Buttler should keep opening for England

At no stage did it look like England were not going to chase down Australia's total in the second T20I. A similar score had proved tricky to chase in the first game and when England lost three wickets in the space of 22 balls shortly after they had passed the hundred mark, history, for a moment, looked like it might be about to repeat itself. Except Jos Buttler was still at the crease. And while he was batting, things never looked in danger of going awry.

Of late, there has been debate about whether Buttler should open or bat in the finisher role for England in T20 cricket. That debate has come about more in light of the strengths of the other players at England's disposal rather than about Buttler's own abilities. He is a class act in either role. But England's middle order batting is an area they need to improve. Eoin Morgan, the captain, has admitted as much. Moving Buttler down the order would instantly rectify that issue.

But then you watch Buttler play like he has against Australia in both these matches so far, you can see why Morgan wants him at the top of the order to face as many balls as possible in T20 cricket. In game one he was all aggression and power, smashing his way to 44 off just 29 balls. Australia simply had nowhere to go. In Sunday's game, Buttler was more reserved up front, conscious that losing early wickets was probably going to be the only way England would lose, and then saw his team home with his cool head and clear eyed thinking late on. Buttler is a two in one player; a brutal opener who is also a dead-eyed finisher.

England's wicket-keeper has, of course, spent most of his England limited overs career in the middle order. He has batted between number four and seven in 52 of his 63 T20I innings. He still bats in the middle order in ODI cricket although Morgan will often promote him up the order to capitalise on good starts. So Buttler knows what it takes to chase down tricky totals. He has done it for England numerous times.

The way he plotted the chase on Sunday was masterful. He got himself in gently - moving to 25 off 24 balls - and then accelerated, never letting the required rate get too high and never looking flustered, even when England lost those three quick wickets.

"It was one of those wickets where I felt like you needed some balls under your belt to get used to the pace of it," Buttler said. "Once I came through the Powerplay, the game was set up like a one-day chase. Irrelevant of me opening [sic], I saw it as if I was coming in in the middle order in a one-day game and the equation was to chase those runs down."

Since England moved Buttler up the order in 2018, after a remarkable IPL season for Rajasthan Royals in that same role, he averages 42.88 at a strike rate of 159.50. It is a remarkable record. Although England's captain said after the match that he would continue to review the make-up of the top three given the strength of options England have available in that area of their side, it is difficult to see how England can move Buttler when he is playing this well in the opening role.

"It probably is my favoured position to bat in T20 cricket," Buttler said. "I've had most of my success at the top and I think that is natural: the top three in T20 cricket is best place for anyone. We probably have eight or nine guys who would stick their hand up to bat in the top three. I'm very happy there, but I'm also very happy to do what the team needs from me. I have played a lot of my career in T20 and one-day cricket batting in the middle so I am very comfortable doing that as well. It's for the coach and captain to decide."

There was a moment in England's chase which summed up the difficulties Buttler presents to opposition teams. In Ashton Agar's second over, Buttler chipped the third ball over cover and the ball raced away for a boundary. It seemed as if he had mistimed the ball and yet it beat the fielder on the boundary comfortably to his right. Agar moved that main straighter. Next ball, Buttler reverse swept Agar for four, to the left of the fielder on the boundary who had just moved straighter.

Agar simply turned to his captain, Aaron Finch, put out his hands and shrugged as if to say how am I supposed to bowl to this bloke?

Right now, it's tough for any bowler to keep the 29-year-old quiet. Buttler thinks he is hitting the ball as well as he ever has done. "I think so," he said. "It is amazing how it can turn around isn't it if you hang in there long enough? I have really missed playing T20 cricket and I was really looking forward to this series because it has been a long time since I played white-ball cricket.

"It is something I really enjoy playing, I love the format and I am feeling in good touch. When you play against Australia it gives you a lot of determination to play well and I think the competition for places in the side has really been driving me as well. The guys have been coming in and playing well and when you miss out, you feel that pressure, so to come back in you feel you have to play well."

Buttler is certainly playing well and Sunday's innings has, for now at least, settled the debate about whether England should open with him or bat him lower down. And if the old adage holds true that a team should always look to do what the opposition least wants, then Buttler should stay at the top of the order. The more balls they have to bowl at him, the more damage he can do.