Jos Buttler has announced his resignation as England’s white-ball cricket captain following the team’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. Under his leadership, England faced a challenging period, culminating in their elimination after group-stage losses to Australia and Afghanistan. Buttler, who succeeded Eoin Morgan in 2022 and led England to a T20 World Cup victory that year, acknowledged that stepping down was the right decision for both himself and the team. He expressed hope that a new captain, working closely with coach Brendon McCullum, would rejuvenate the squad. Despite relinquishing the captaincy, Buttler intends to continue playing international cricket and aims to rediscover his form. Vice-captain Harry Brook is considered a leading candidate to assume the captaincy.
England’s recent white-ball performances have been nothing short of disastrous. Their World Cup campaign was a mess, finishing near the bottom, and now their Champions Trophy run ended embarrassingly early. Losses to teams like Afghanistan and underwhelming displays against top sides have made it clear that something had to change.
Buttler stepping down isn’t surprising, given how things have gone. The team looks directionless, and their aggressive “Bazball” approach hasn’t translated well into the shorter formats. Do you think a leadership change will actually turn things around, or is it a deeper squad issue?