Australian wicketkeeping legend Adam Gilchrist has backed England's Jos Buttler to make an immediate impact in Test cricket, just like he did.
Buttler is preparing for his Test debut against India after he was selected in the 13-man England squad for the third Test following wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior's decision to take a break due to his Achilles injury.
Buttler hopes to emulate the Australian legend when he takes the gloves from Prior for the third Test against India on Sunday, The Mirror reported. Buttler watched Gilchrist revolutionise the role of the wicket-keeper batsman over the course of 96 Tests.
And Gilchrist has said that the key to his early success, in which he scored 81 in his first knock then 149 not out in the next Test, was his familiarity with the set-up.
Gilchrist, who had played many times for Australia's ODI side and won a World Cup, so with Buttler already having some success in his 33 ODIs for England, the step up to Test cricket should not be too daunting.
Gilchrist said that maybe there is a similarity there with how he broke into Test cricket, adding that he has seen Buttler in the Big Bash and then a few times when England has faced Australia in ODIs or T20s and is reading very positive reports about the wicketkeeper batsman.
Gilchrist said that every game Buttler has played in would help his transition into Test cricket.
