Jos Buttler still holds a special place in his heart for ODIs, so much so that the England captain believes winning the 50-over World Cup ranks higher than its T20 equivalent.

The so-called ‘middle’ format has been squeezed to the margins, with Test cricket regarded as sacrosanct – even if its long-term viability has been questioned – while T20s go from strength to strength.

But, with the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai starting later this month, ODIs are back on the agenda and England begin their preparations with the first of three contests against India on Thursday.

England played just eight ODIs last year and India three, but Buttler spoke up for what has been described as a maligned format, insisting 50-over cricket scratches an itch T20s cannot.

“I’ve always enjoyed 50-over cricket,” said Buttler, who has won both ODI and T20 World Cups. “It’s always been one of my favourite formats.

“I still think if you talk to guys about winning a World Cup, they’d probably say a 50-over World Cup ahead of a T20 World Cup at the moment. Whether that continues to be the case moving forward, I don’t know.

“One thing that is really exciting about ODI cricket as a batter, from numbers one to six, you have the opportunity to go and score hundreds, whereas in T20 cricket it’s difficult to score three figures from outside the top three. That’s something I am looking forward to.

“If you can pit your best teams against each other and you put your best players out there, I think that’s the way to keep 50-over cricket relevant.”

Both sides will be close to full strength, with India welcoming back skipper Rohit Sharma and linchpin number three Virat Kohli, who missed the 4-1 T20 series win due to their retirements from the format.

Joe Root is set for his first ODI in 15 months and will be expected to be England’s glue, holding the innings together from number three in a role he performed with distinction up to the 2019 World Cup.

The Yorkshireman has flitted in and out of the ODI team since then because of his duties with the Test side, where he has been in outstanding form since relinquishing the captaincy nearly three years ago.

“I’m excited to see him in this phase of his career – look at what he’s done in Tests when he’s not had the captaincy, he’s back with that cheeky smile on his face and really enjoying his cricket,” Buttler said.

“I’m expecting him to do exactly the same in this environment. He’s got loads of experience in ODI cricket which will be great for some of the guys who haven’t played as much in our group.

“He’s been a vital player for England in all formats and we really feel like he’s got a crucial role for us to play in these games.”

While Jofra Archer has split the webbing on his right hand, he is included for the Nagpur opener in a three-prong fast bowling attack alongside Saqib Mahmood and Brydon Carse.

Adil Rashid’s leg spin will be complemented by the part-time offerings of Root, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell, while Phil Salt is set to keep wicket in the absence of the injured Jamie Smith.

Buttler, who will be carded at five below Harry Brook, has emphasised his commitment to England’s mantra of seeking to put pressure on the opposition with the bat and taking wickets with the ball.

While the approach came under scrutiny as Brendon McCullum’s first series as England white-ball coach ended in a heavy T20 series defeat, Buttler is optimistic they can flourish in the longer format.

“We believe that’s the best way for us to win games of cricket and get the best out of the players,” Buttler, who is set for his first ODI since December 2023, added. “We’ll double down on that.

“The 50-over format really suits everyone in the squad. Guys like Ben Duckett, the way he’s been playing in Test cricket and ODIs, it’s exactly the same. It’s the perfect blueprint for batting long and getting big hundreds.”