“For me, the past remains in the past”: Jos Buttler on coming into World Cup 2023 as defending champions.

Under Eoin Morgan’s inspirational leadership, England clinched their maiden 50-over World Cup victory. Fast forward four years, and it’s Jos Buttler at the helm, leading the English squad into the World Cup arena.

After a convincing 3-1 triumph over New Zealand in a recent ODI series on home soil, Buttler made it clear that he’s not a fan of labeling his team as ‘defending champions.’ In his view, England stands on equal footing with all the other competing teams, embarking on this tournament with a clean slate.

“We’re not out to defend anything. Our mission is to secure another World Cup victory. We find ourselves in the same situation as every other team,” expressed the charismatic wicketkeeper-batter following the series win against the Kiwis.

“For me, the past remains in the past. You can’t recreate it or cling to it indefinitely. We’re all about forging a new path. Don’t get me wrong, being champions and reigning champions is fantastic, and we haven’t completely let go of that because it’s a great feeling. However, I think we’ve handed that trophy back now. It’s history. Our focus is on creating something fresh,” Buttler elaborated, as reported by ESPNcricinfo before the inaugural match of the 2023 ODI World Cup versus New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday, October 5.

“We must maintain our hunger to achieve it again and remain fixated on a different objective. The past can serve as valuable reference points; you talk about experience, something I didn’t fully appreciate as a young player. I used to believe you either had the capability or you didn’t. But as a more seasoned player now, there are moments when looking back at past achievements is beneficial,” Buttler further emphasized.

While England stands as one of the favorites in this prestigious event, Buttler’s focus remains unwaveringly on taking each match as it comes, not dwelling on past glories but rather striving for new triumphs.