Jos Buttler will miss England’s T20I series against Australia as he has experienced a setback in his recovery from a right calf injury. There is a possibility he might also miss the five-match ODI series that follows. Phil Salt will take over as captain for the T20Is. Buttler, England’s limited-overs captain, sustained the injury in July while preparing for the men’s Hundred, which kept him out of the tournament.
Buttler had initially aimed to make a return during Lancashire’s Vitality Blast quarter-final against Sussex on Wednesday night. However, aggravating the injury may now sideline him for the rest of the summer. He has not played any cricket since England’s T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India on June 27. Salt, who has previously served as a stand-in captain for Buttler during the Hundred, will assume the role of captain and is also expected to keep wicket.
In Buttler’s absence, Harry Brook is set to lead the 50-over segment of Australia’s tour. Brook has been Ollie Pope’s vice-captain during England’s Test series against Sri Lanka. The first of five ODIs will start at Trent Bridge on September 19. Jamie Overton, an all-rounder from Surrey, has been selected as a replacement for the T20I squad. If selected, Overton will likely play as a specialist batter due to his ongoing recovery from a back stress fracture.
Jordan Cox, currently with the Test squad, has been added to the ODI squad as cover. England hopes that Buttler might be able to participate in the ODI series, but this setback is poorly timed as the squad is transitioning to a younger core following the disappointments of the 2023 ODI and 2024 T20 World Cups.
On Tuesday, Brendon McCullum was appointed to succeed Matthew Mott, consolidating the coaching positions for Test and limited-overs formats. McCullum is tasked with rejuvenating the team, with Marcus Trescothick taking charge in the interim before McCullum officially starts in early 2025. This series against Australia would have been a key opportunity for Buttler to reassert his position after a couple of challenging years.
It is also notable that this is Buttler’s third calf injury in the past four years. As he turns 34 on Sunday, his future as captain and his longevity as an international cricketer might depend on relinquishing wicketkeeping duties to better preserve his body.
England T20I squad For Australia Series:
Phil Salt (c), Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, Jordan Cox, Josh Hull, Brydon Carse, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, John Turner, Reece Topley
England ODI squad For Australia Series:
Jos Buttler (captain), Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Josh Hull, Adil Rashid, Jamie Smith, John Turner, Reece Topley.
