Buttler overtakes Pollard as top T20 run-scorer, predicts Sooryavanshi will one day top the list

Jos Buttler reclaimed the T20 run-scoring lead when he struck a 20-ball 51 for Manchester Super Giants against Welsh Fire in The Hundred on Wednesday, and he said the record will probably be broken by India's 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Buttler moved past Kieron Pollard to become the highest run-scorer in T20 cricket, a milestone that arrived amid a return to form for the 34-year-old. At just 15, Sooryavanshi has already drawn praise from former players, and only days earlier Robin Uthappa suggested the youngster could have a bigger impact on white-ball cricket than Sachin Tendulkar, provided he is guided carefully through the early years of his career.

Buttler told Sky Sports after the match: "Yeah, it's really cool actually to think you've got the most T20 runs out of everyone. Someone will surpass it one day and his name's probably Sooryavanshi." The comment drew attention in India and carried additional weight because Buttler shared the Rajasthan Royals dressing room with Sooryavanshi in the IPL and has seen the teenager's fearless batting up close.

Reflecting on his own form, the England white-ball captain described a recent reversal in fortunes after a difficult spell. "Funny how quickly cricket can change. One day you're the dog, one day you're the lamp post. A few months ago I was struggling for form. Then, in the last few weeks especially, I probably feel like I'm batting as well as I ever have. It's been a lot of fun," he said. He added: "You've only ever got two options. You either give up or you've got the energy to keep going and try to rediscover your form. So that's all the things I've been focusing on. I've had the energy and determination to get back there, and that's what I've done."

Buttler admitted he had hoped to overtake Pollard a game earlier when Manchester Super Giants faced MI London and the West Indies legend was in the dugout. "It would've been nice to get past Polly while he was there. Some great names are on that list, some special players, so yeah I'm really proud of that," Buttler said. Records, however, are meant to be broken.

If Sooryavanshi maintains his current trajectory over the coming years, Buttler believes the Indian teenager could one day reach the summit he now occupies, a prospect the England captain made plain after becoming the format's leading run-scorer.