Jos Buttler set to skip The Hundred due to calf injury; to have showdown talks about England captaincy soon - Reports
England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler will reportedly miss the upcoming edition of The Hundred due to a calf injury. Although the extent of the injury is yet to be fully determined, a report from The Telegraph states that he is set to be out of action for six weeks.
Buttler was slated to lead the Manchester Originals in the competition, but his participation is now hampered due to the injury he sustained during training. England are due to host Australia for a white-ball series in the coming months, and the wicketkeeper-batter is in a race against time to be fit.
In the meantime, Buttler will learn his fate as captain, with England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Rob Key slated to hold talks with him and head coach Matthew Mott. England failed to defend both their white-ball titles in recent times, finishing sixth in the 2023 ODI World Cup and as a semi-finalist in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Despite making it to the final four, it was hardly a tournament to remember for Buttler and company. They suffered a defeat to rivals Australia, barely made it out of the group stage, and recorded losses against South Africa and India towards the end of their campaign.
The early feedback from teammates and the support staff has not been positive for Buttler, and there is some belief, that he may step down from the role himself.
Barring the 2022 T20 World Cup triumph, Buttler has not had much success as captain. Furthermore, having hit 33 and his family expanded to five members with the birth of his third child, he will look to take a step back in terms of responsibilities with the national team for the time being at least.
Phil Salt to lead the Manchester Originals in Jos Buttler's absence
England will have a new captaincy candidate to consider in the future should things go well, with Phil Salt leading at the highest level for the first time. The opening batter, a guaranteed starter in white-ball cricket, is likely to lead the Manchester Originals with Jos Buttler all but ruled out.
The fourth edition of The Hundred is scheduled to begin from Tuesday, July 23, onwards, with Manchester Originals kickstarting their campaign against Welsh Fire on Thursday, July 25.