The writing was on the wall. Jos Buttler, whose credentials as an ODI skipper were dented following their embarrassing ICC Champions Trophy campaign, has stepped down as captain. The pressure on Buttler was always there, with England failing in all the major tournaments since 2023. In fact, they have lost 18 matches out of 25 ODIs and are on a six-match losing streak as well. The next England game at the ICC Champions Trophy (against South Africa on March 1) will be Buttler’s last game as England’s white-ball captain.
Jos Buttler resigns as England captain
“It’s the right decision for me, the right decision for the team,” Jos Buttler said at the pre-match press conference on Friday, February 28. Buttler hinted about his decision to step down as captain following a stunning defeat to Afghanistan. “Hopefully, someone else come in and work closely with Baz (Brendon McCullum) to take the team back to where it needs to be.”
When Eoin Morgan hung up his boots in June 2022, Jos Buttler stepped up to the plate as England’s white-ball captain. And what a debut year it was! He led the team to T20 World Cup glory in Australia. He did something rare – continuing to see team’s success despite looking after it’s transition as well.
However, the subsequent 12 months were a mixed bag. England’s defences of their 50-over and T20 World Cup titles ended in disappointment – a semifinal exit in the Caribbean and a group-stage stumble in India. Buttler’s captaincy record is a tale of two formats. In ODIs, he’s overseen 44 matches, with 18 wins, 25 defeats, and one no result. Not bad, but not brilliant either. T20s, though, are a different story – 26 wins, 22 defeats, and three no results in 51 matches.
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The change of coaching staff didn’t help Buttler’s case. He had a great camaraderie with former white-ball coach Matthew Mott. However, after poor show last in 2024, Mott stepped down. Brendon McCullum, whose “BazBall” enigma took over Test cricket, joined in the white-ball setup. Some questionable selection calls and care-free batting by the English unit saw Buttler and McCullum take bullets from all the sides. As a player, Buttler would still be available for selection.
Jos Buttler’s captaincy records
| Format | Mat | Win | Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 44 | 18 | 25 | 40.9 |
| T20I | 51 | 26 | 22 | 50.98 |
