Buttler’s recent calf problem has made him a serious worry for the ODI series.
following experiencing a setback in his recovery from a right calf injury, Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England’s T20I series against Australia and may miss the five-match ODI series that comes following. Phil Salt will lead the T20s.
The limited-overs captain of England, Buttler, was ruled out of the competition after suffering the in July while getting ready for the men’s Hundred. Subsequently, he had set his sights on a comeback for Lancashire against Sussex in Wednesday’s Vitality Blast quarterfinal, in anticipation of the white ball series, which gets underway at the Utilita Bowl on September 11.
But now that he’s made the injury worse, he may miss the remainder of the season, as he hasn’t played cricket since England’s June 27 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to India. Buttler posted on his Instagram account, “Frustrating to have a setback with the injury but working hard to get it right.”
Salt will take the reins initially and is also expected to keep wicket. Salt’s only leadership experience came while filling in for Buttler as Manchester Originals captain during the Hundred.
The first of five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) between Australia and England begins at Trent Bridge on September 19. Harry Brook, who has been Ollie Pope’s vice-captain throughout England’s Test series against Sri Lanka, is expected to skipper the 50-over phase of the trip.
All-rounder Jamie Overton of Surrey has been called up to the T20I squad as a substitute. If chosen, though, he would probably bat as a specialist while he continues to heal from a stress fracture to his back. The ODI team has acquired Jordan Cox, who is now with the Test team, as a backup.
Although Buttler may be able to contribute in some way to the ODI series, this loss comes at a bad time as the team is trying to rebuild around a younger core following the disappointments of the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups.
Brendon McCullum was named Matthew Mott’s replacement on Tuesday. He will be responsible for bringing new life to the set-up and unifying the coaching responsibilities for limited overs and Test cricket. While McCullum will take over as captain at the beginning of 2025, Marcus Trescothick will lead in the meantime. However, Buttler could have used the Australia series as a chance to establish himself after a lackluster few of years.
It is also important to note that Buttler has suffered three calf injuries in the previous four years. He turns 34 on Sunday, and giving up wicketkeeping responsibilities in order to properly maintain his body may be necessary for him to remain a captain and an international cricket player for a long time.
