MANCHESTER: For long Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been rated as the best wicketkeeper-batsman in white ball cricket but Australia captain Tim Paine is of the opinion that England's Jos Buttler has surged ahead of the former Indian captain.
Buttler is in the form of his life, having played a pivotal role in England's 5-0 rout of Australia in the just concluded ODI series.
Asked to rate Buttler, Paine, who himself is a 'keeper-batsman said: He's good, he's very good.
Right now, he'd have to be the best white-ball wicket-keeper batsman in the world.
"I don't think there's too many guys to challenge him. MS Dhoni is pretty good, but at this moment, Jos is at the absolute peak of his powers. He understands his one-day game so well and knows his strengths inside out and just doesn't go away from him."
Buttler scored 275 runs in the series with three not-outs including scores of 91*, 54* and 110*.
In fact, he singlehandedly won the final ODI for England with his hundred after the home team was trouble at 50 for five chasing 206.
Buttler has had a transformation since he played a stellar role for Rajasthan Royals with nearly 600 runs to his credit.
He was recalled to the Test team and he responded with two half-centuries in the drawn series against Pakistan.
In fact, Paine feels that Australian batsmen can take a cue from Buttler.
He's someone for our batters to watch and see first hand. Those experiences are going to be really good for D'Arcy Short or Travis Head to see him and Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy at their best, Paine added.