Jos Buttler is expected to step back from The Hundred as he prepares for crucial discussions about his future as England's cricket captain. Initially slated to lead the Manchester Originals in the fourth edition of the tournament, Buttler is now sidelined by a calf injury sustained during training.
The full severity of the injury will be determined soon, but early indications suggest a recovery period of around six weeks. This injury puts Buttler's participation in England's next white-ball series—a trio of T20 matches against Australia starting on September 11—in serious doubt. Concurrently, he is scheduled for talks with managing director Rob Key regarding his captaincy, following a lacklustre T20 World Cup title defence. England's campaign ended in a semi-final defeat to eventual champions India.
During the Test series against the West Indies, Key has reportedly been quietly evaluating the World Cup performance. This follows another disappointing title defence in last year's 50-over World Cup. Both Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott's positions are under scrutiny, with Key expected to meet with them soon to discuss their futures.
Mott was appointed by Key in 2022, shortly before long-time captain Eoin Morgan's sudden retirement during a series in the Netherlands, which led to Buttler taking over the leadership role.
Feedback from players and staff has criticised Buttler’s leadership, leading to speculation that he might step down. At 33, Buttler may choose to relinquish his captaincy duties. The question of who would succeed him is complicated by scheduling conflicts between the Test and white-ball teams. Vice-captain Moeen Ali, at 37, is unlikely to be a long-term solution, and the timing of the Australia series in September—starting just one day after the third Test against Sri Lanka—rules out dual-format players.
Phil Salt is anticipated to replace Buttler as the Manchester Originals' captain, aligning with England's strategy to provide leadership opportunities to emerging white-ball players. Similarly, the Northern Superchargers have named Harry Brook as their captain for The Hundred, with his availability commencing after the Test series against the West Indies.
England's white-ball teams are at a pivotal moment. Next year marks the first since 2020 without a one-day or T20 World Cup, but the eight-team ODI Champions Trophy in Pakistan in the spring and the T20 World Cup in India in 2026 loom on the horizon. As the team faces Australia in September, there will likely be significant player turnover, introducing more of the new generation while veterans from the 2015 golden era under Eoin Morgan near the end of their careers.
Buttler's injury is a significant setback for The Hundred, where his exceptional batting has been a major draw. A replacement player is expected to be announced soon, with the Originals' first game against Welsh Fire at Old Trafford on Thursday.
This break might offer some relief for Buttler, whose wife Louise gave birth to their third child during England’s T20 series against Pakistan in May, just before his trip to the Caribbean for the World Cup. Prior to that, he spent two months in the Indian Premier League playing for the Rajasthan Royals.