Buttler relishing opportunity to keep wicket on New Zealand Test tour

The Lancashire man will keep wicket in the absence of Jonny Bairstow who has been left out of the squad for the two-Test series which begins at Bay Oval on November 20

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler says he is looking forward to taking back the gloves in Test cricket.

The Lancashire man will keep wicket in the absence of Jonny Bairstow who has been left out of the squad for the two-Test series which begins at Bay Oval on November 20.

Buttler, who averages 33.94 with the bat, has played as England’s designated gloveman in 16 of his 36 Test appearances.

"It’s really exciting, it’s a big challenge," he said. "I’m really looking forward to it, going back to my original role in Test matches.

"Any time Jonny Bairstow gets left out of a Test side, it’s a big surprise. It was certainly a surprise to me but it’s a great opportunity. I love keeping wicket and I look forward to giving it my best shot."

Buttler was speaking at the live draft event for The Hundred, the 100-ball competition in which he will represent the Old Trafford-based Manchester Originals.

^{Buttler at The Hundred draft}

The 29-year-old said he was eager to see how the next generation of English players come through when the tournament starts next summer.

"I really like the fact teams are planning for the future. Looking at our side, we’ve got a lot of guys in their twenties who we can really build a franchise around for the next five, ten years.

"You look at [Matt] Parkinson and Saqib [Mahmood]. They could be Manchester Originals players for the next 10 years and really build the franchise around them. But it also throws up opportunities, that someone from ‘out of state’ as such can come in and become a star of a new team. Look at Rohit Sharma with Mumbai Indians, that kind of relationship can be born through these tournaments.

"You look at homegrown players who make a name for themselves in those teams. It’s great for us that we now have the platform in England. All these games on television, young guys can make a name for themselves.

"I think it’s fantastic to see the coaching staff looking at it in that way and not just thinking ‘let’s just get the here and now, who’s the best player we can get for tomorrow’, and not really having a plan how to really build the franchise.

"We’ve seen it in the Big Bash, the IPL, these franchise tournaments - the pressure it puts on you and the improvements you make [as a result]."