Buttler 'very lucky' to be back in England Test side, believes Flintoff

Former all-rounder Andrew Flintoff believes that Jos Buttler, who has been included in the England playing XI in the Mohali Test against India, is "very, very lucky" to be even considered for the same.

After the drawn first Test at Rajkot, India went on claim a comprehensive victory in Visakhapatnam, crushing England by 246 runs and have a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Buttler has replaced Ben Duckett after the latter failed to impress in either of the first two Tests.

The Lancashire wicketkeeper-batsman hasn't played any cricket since the disappointing Bangladesh tour and is playing his first Test match in over a year. However, Flintoff thinks Buttler is fortunate to be in the position he is given the lack of commitment he shows to the longest format of the game.

"I'm a big fan of Jos Buttler, but I think he's very lucky though, very lucky. He played one First Class game for Lancashire last year and, I know he went to the IPL, but if he was serious about Test match cricket he would have started the season with Lancashire and scored a load of runs there," Flintoff was quoted as saying by the Independent.

"I think he is being given it rather than earning it. There's never been a question of his ability to play white ball cricket, he's performed for everyone he's played for," he added.

The former England all-rounder drew comparison of Buttler's case with that of Eoin Morgan saying, "It's like what Eoin Morgan did a few years ago where he went to the IPL and probably missed out on two Ashes series as a result. Jos is very, very lucky.