Jos Buttler has decided to step down from his role as England’s white-ball cricket captain right after their Champions Trophy match against South Africa on Saturday, a game that’s effectively meaningless in the context of the tournament.
Reflecting on England’s premature exit from the Champions Trophy, this marks their third disappointing performance in a major tournament within the last year and a half. Buttler, who took over from Eoin Morgan in the summer of 2022 and subsequently led the team to triumph in the T20 World Cup, has come to a swift decision regarding his leadership role. He plans to leave after the team’s final Group B match in Karachi.
“It’s time for me to step down as England captain. It’s what’s best for both the team and myself,” Buttler explained.
Recently, Buttler has appeared noticeably weary in his leadership role. This fatigue has been evident, especially after Wednesday’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan, which cemented England’s early exit from the competition in Pakistan.
After the match, Buttler commented on his need to evaluate “all possibilities” for his future, pondering whether he was “part of the solution or part of the problem.” It seems he has concluded he might be the latter.
Buttler’s Captaincy
Since officially taking over the captaincy, Buttler has experienced 22 losses in 34 One Day Internationals (ODIs), a disappointing statistic for a team previously seen as trailblazers in limited-overs cricket.
While making it to the semi-finals at last summer’s T20 World Cup, England’s performance in the shorter format has been patchy, culminating in a heavy defeat by India. A subsequent review allowed Buttler to remain as captain, though it was limited-overs coach Matthew Mott who faced the consequences, being replaced by Brendon McCullum. McCullum, already England’s Test coach, took on the task of reviving the team and rejuvenating Buttler’s leadership.
McCullum noted Buttler often seemed “a bit miserable,” with his mission to uplift Buttler’s spirits unfortunately failing. Now, the restructuring begins in earnest with the search for a new leader.
The identity of the next captain is yet to be established. Vice-captain Harry Brook is a strong contender but is heavily committed across all three game formats, which might impede his availability for every series.
England’s next white-ball game is a while away, scheduled for May 29 against the touring West Indies. This gives ample time for McCullum and cricket director Rob Key to deliberate over Buttler’s successor.
For a deeper dive: Who might replace Jos Buttler as England’s white-ball captain?
