To keep or not to keep - Buttler's big decision
To keep or not to keep - Buttler's big decision
When England's latest white-ball tour begins in Antigua on Thursday, they will once again be without their captain.
Jos Buttler’s troublesome calf injury has kept him sidelined since June, forcing him to watch his team’s resurgence from the sidelines.
This latest setback rules Buttler out of the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, though there’s hope he will be fit for the five T20s that follow next week.
It's an awkward situation for Buttler, denying him the chance to shape the team’s direction before Brendon McCullum arrives as head coach in the new year. It also prolongs an ongoing question for England: should the 34-year-old continue to juggle the responsibilities of captain, wicketkeeper, and lead batter, or is it time for him to step back from the gloves?
Buttler’s Big Decision
For the past 12 years, Jos Buttler has been England’s go-to wicketkeeper in almost every white-ball game. However, since England retained him as captain and dismissed coach Matthew Mott after this year's T20 World Cup exit, there have been hints from the camp suggesting a potential shift.
Even if Buttler had been fit to play against Australia last month, Phil Salt was set to take the gloves in the T20s, with Jamie Smith prepared to keep wicket in the ODIs.
“I was going to give up the gloves and commit to being at mid-off and see how that felt,” Buttler told Sky Sports. “If it will help me with my captaincy, it’s something I am open to.”
While Buttler has support to remain as captain, he’s aware that, after two disappointing World Cup exits, his position isn't unassailable.
At the start of the summer, he was determined. “I feel like I’ve got the best view. I can see exactly what’s happening and make calls,” he said in May when asked if he’d continue as wicketkeeper.
