England's Buttler hopes enforced virus break prolongs cricket career
England's Jos Buttler believes his unexpected break from the cricket treadmill could contain a positive effect in extending his career "by a few years".
With England playing home matches in the northern hemisphere summer and touring every winter, multi-format players such as for example Buttler usually face a gruelling schedule of international matches.
The coronavirus outbreak, even so, has taken that routine to a shuddering halt, with the beginning of the English season delayed until July 1 at the earliest.
Nevertheless, Buttler said some good will come from his enforced break, citing the exemplory case of All Black rugby greats such as for example Dan Carter, whose international careers benefited from prepared sabbaticals.
"I think maybe in a long time you'll potentially look back on it as a major benefit," World-Cup winner Buttler said throughout a conference ask Wednesday.
"It's obviously been a very strange time for everyone, incredibly tough on a whole lot of families and a lot of people across the world so it's tough to say it's been enjoyable.
"But in a long time I believe you'll look back which is a time you may never get again on your cricket career, because hopefully we'll by no means experience anything like this again."
The 29-year-old Lancashire wicketkeeper-batsman added: "To get a complete break both physically and mentally may potentially add a few years to the career and you'll hopefully see some benefits from the break.
"I be aware of rugby is an extremely physical game but in the event that you start looking at some New Zealand players who have taken a sabbatical for a time period, it might potentially have a good positive influence on us as England players."
- 'Apprehension' -
England still hope to complete a full house international programme of six Tests, split evenly between the West Indies and Pakistan, together with limited-overs matches against Pakistan, Australia and Ireland regardless of the shortened season.
This week has seen the British government learn to relax lockdown restrictions on recreational sport, with some golf and tennis now allowed so long as social-distancing rules are maintained.
Guidance on how elite sportsmen may well return to training is expected in the coming times, with Buttler saying he felt a amount of apprehension.
"It looks like within the next week or so , or however imminent it'll be, that we'll possess the chance to coach individually," he said.
"It's everything -- a bit of nerves, a bit of excitement, a little bit of apprehension -- but it's a positive stage for cricket in England that the players can begin training individually.
"As a player you are feeling like you've had a nice rest and really enjoyed it, it has been good to have the break and hopefully feeling refreshed for a few cricket."
