After the Champions Trophy consecutive losses and poor ODI performances, Jos Buttler finally stepped down as England’s white ball captain. The decision came on Friday, 28 February, right after the team had suffered a loss against Afghanistan in their do-or-die match for the tournament. He also announced that his last match as skipper would be against South Africa, and afterward, he would work on honing his cric skills.
After Buttler resigned officially, the team had to bring a leadership that could lead them to wins and hold the responsibility as skipper. England is now on the hunt for a new white ball captain. There are only a few contenders who hold the potential to reshape the Future of England Cricket with coach Brendon McCullum. Here are the top 3 Players who can captain England’s white-ball team after Jos Buttler exit.
New Captains to lead Three Lions after Jos Buttler
Harry Brook
The top contender to get on the shoes of England skipper for the white ball cricket. This player is a rising star and has established himself since his international debut. Currently serving as a vice captain, he holds experience of Captainship and can be viewed as a natural successor after Buttler’s exit.
When given responsibility to the captain, this player has proved what he is capable of. He led England in the 2024 ODI series vs. Australia, scoring 312 runs in five innings at an average of 78 and a strike rate of 127.86.
Phil Salt
The opening partner of Jos Buttler can also lead the team in the time. The Batter-Wicketkeeper can also lead the team while handling the glove duty for his team. He, alongside Liam Livingstone, is the only player to take on the skipper. Salt had earlier led the team in the T20s against Australia last summer before Brook had his go in the ODIs. His chances seem pretty vague as per his current ongoing form, but if the batter improves, the batter could become England’s skipper, at least in one of the two white-ball formats.
Ben Duckett
The only English player who has maintained his form over the past few years is Ben Duckett. Looking at his current form in the Champions Trophy and records, he stands as a strong option to be the next Captain. He has excellent records in all three formats of cricket and has achieved notable performances in Test as well as ODIs. scoring 2,270 Test runs at 39.82 and 1,058 ODI runs at 50.38. He has seven international centuries, showcasing his consistency and aggressive stroke play.
Other Potential Options
In the current ODI squad, Liam stands to be another favorite option to lead the Team following Buttler’s exit. Other than him, Joe Root and Ben Stokes could also be among the top contenders for the vacant position. It would be interesting to see what pointers the ECB looks for before announcing their new leader.
