Buttler has recovered from a nagging calf injury sustained during the Hundred and kept him sidelined from England’s exciting T20 triumph in Pakistan.
“I’m 100 percent back,” Buttler told reporters at a sun-drenched Optus Stadium on Saturday. “I had a good time in Pakistan to rehabilitate, probably could have played earlier, but with the World Cup just around the corner, it was the right choice.” [to sit out].”
“We have great options at the top of the order with guys in really good shape in Pakistan. They’re both excellent options. Whoever I work with will try great.”
Ben Stokes has not had a fixed place in the batting order•Getty Images
“Ben Stokes is someone we want to try and give as many opportunities as possible to influence the game,” he said. “Try to get him as high in the rankings as possible. Give him as much responsibility as possible and let him play his way to get the best out of him.
“Ben is a superstar and a man you want on the team. There is a lot of excitement to have him back.”
Buttler said Livingstone, who has had great success at Optus Stadium with Perth Scorchers, has remained on the sidelines with an ankle injury and faces a race to be fit for England’s T20 World Cup opener against Afghanistan on October 22.
“[He] is still a little ways off at the moment, so he’s building up,” he said. “Hopefully he’ll be fully fit for the start of the World Cup.”
England came in as a T20 World Cup favorite with the disappointment of a semi-final departure fresh 12 months ago, having arrived in sunny Perth, confident but seemingly unburdened over anticipation of ending a 12-year title drought.
Liam Livingstone is now England’s biggest injury concern in camp•Getty Images
“Don’t think there’s any pressure on us,” Buttler said. “The team has changed with a new coach and captain. It is very early in our era as a group, although we have fantastic players in our squad and some real match winners and world class players.”
“I think we are a dangerous team, but we don’t have high expectations of us as a group.”
As they prepare for a World Cup attack, England will face longtime rivals Australia in a three-match series starting at Optus Stadium, where their first international match in nearly three years will be played.
While Australia will bring a weakened attack for the series’ only game in Perth, Buttler said the clash – expected to be played in front of around 30,000 fans – had important stakes.
“I think they are the favorites for the World Cup. We are looking for a great challenge,” Buttler said of defending champions Australia. “Quickly adapting to the conditions will be an important factor for us to get started. It’s all about peaking at the right time for this World Cup.”