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England captain Jos Buttler is considering his future as the team’s white-ball leader following their disastrous exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The defending champions suffered a heartbreaking eight-run defeat against Afghanistan in Lahore, eliminating them from semifinal contention after back-to-back losses against Australia and Afghanistan.
With three consecutive tournament failures under his leadership, Buttler admitted that he must reflect on whether he remains the right man for the job.
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Buttler: “Am I Part of the Problem or the Solution?”
Speaking after the narrow loss to Afghanistan, Buttler acknowledged England’s poor form and the need for changes:
“I’ve got to work out personally, am I part of the problem or am I part of the solution? I’m not going to make any emotional decisions right here, right now. The guys at the top – they’re in charge and they will have their own views as well.”
Buttler took over as England’s white-ball captain in 2022 after Eoin Morgan’s retirement and led them to victory in the T20 World Cup that year. However, since then, England’s performances in major ICC tournaments have been far from convincing, culminating in another early exit.
England’s Struggles Continue Under Buttler
England’s 317-run chase against Afghanistan fell short despite Joe Root’s fighting 120, with the team losing their way towards the death overs. Reflecting on their campaign, Buttler admitted England lacked the confidence and form required to close out crucial games:
“We’re obviously gutted. We had our chances. It has been a familiar theme. A more firing and confident team would have got over the line.”
Since taking over from Morgan, Buttler has now led England in 34 ODIs, suffering 22 defeats—a worrying statistic for a team that once dominated white-ball cricket.
What’s Next for England and Buttler?
England will now fly to Karachi for their final group match against South Africa on Saturday, but with their Champions Trophy campaign already over, the match holds little significance for their tournament hopes.
However, the presence of Rob Key (England’s team director) and Richard Gould (ECB chief executive) in Pakistan could hint at major discussions regarding England’s white-ball setup once they return to the UK.
Injury Concerns Add to England’s Woes
Adding to England’s misery, Mark Wood suffered a knee injury just four overs into his spell, leaving England with limited bowling options in the field. Buttler praised Wood for his resilience:
“He bowled through a lot of pain and I thought he showed unbelievable character. It’s never easy losing a bowler, but that was the balance we were comfortable going into the match with.”
Will Buttler Step Down?
With England struggling in ODIs and an overhaul likely before the next ICC event, Buttler faces a defining moment in his captaincy career. While he remains committed to leading the team, his future as England’s white-ball captain will be under scrutiny in the coming months.
For now, the focus will shift to England’s next white-ball assignments, but with three successive tournament disappointments, changes seem inevitable.
