Jos Buttler relinquishes his post as England's white-ball captain

Jos Buttler has stepped down as England’s white-ball captain following their disastrous campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy. The 34-year-old confirmed that England’s final Group B clash against South Africa on Saturday will be his last as skipper. While the ongoing ICC event is at center currently, England's white-ball woes have been long standing. Under Buttler, England has noted early exits from the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. At the ICC Champions Trophy, England let close matches slip away from their claws against Australia and Afghanistan. With the England vs Afghanistan clash being a virtual knockout, Jos Buttler and his men failed to complete the chase, falling short of 8 runs, in Rawalpindi.

Jos Buttler leaves England's captaincy post after disappointing run at the ICC Champions Trophy

The ICC Champions Trophy marked the first marquee event for Jos Buttler working along Brendon McCullum as the coach. However, the collaboration didn't bring the result that the English team would have aimed at. England's contention in the tournament came to a shocking end after defeats to Australia and a shocking upset against Afghanistan. Following the loss, Buttler faced tough questions from Michael Atherton during the post-match presentation, appearing uncertain about his future, a moment that ultimately led to his decision on Friday.

"I'm going to stand down as England captain," Buttler said in his statement. "It's the right decision for me and the right decision for the team. Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz [Brendon McCullum] will take the team to where it needs to be."

Buttler took over the captaincy in June 2022 after the retirement of Eoin Morgan, who had led England to their historic World Cup triumph. Just five months into his tenure, Buttler positioned himself as a commendable leader, guiding England to victory in the T20 World Cup in Australia. However, what followed was a downward spiral in both ODIs and T20Is, with England underperforming in three consecutive ICC tournaments. They finished seventh in the 2023 ODI World Cup with just three wins from nine games, fell in the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup against India, and now suffered a humiliating exit at the ICC Champions Trophy.

"It's quite clear [what prompted this decision]," Buttler added. "This tournament was going to be important results-wise for my captaincy, and obviously two losses and being out of the tournament with a bit of a hangover from some tournaments before, it probably reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy.

With Brendon McCullum overseeing England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach in Tests, Buttler had aimed to revamp the white-ball side. However, the loss to Afghanistan seemed to be the final straw. His body language, visible frustration in the dressing room, slumped shoulders, and dejection during England’s unsuccessful chase, spoke volumes about his state of mind. Over 95 matches as captain, Buttler led England to 44 victories and 47 defeats. With his departure, vice-captain Harry Brook is now the frontrunner to take over leadership duties.

BREAKING: Jos Buttler has stood down as England white-ball captain, following his side's Champions Trophy exit 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BQ5yiy4yTa

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 28, 2025

"It's a shame, I am sad about that. With Brendon only coming in recently, I was excited about working closely with him and hoped for a quick turnaround to take the team forward, but it's not worked out that way. It feels like it's the right time for me and for the team to have a change."

"Overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment, but I'm sure in time that will pass. I can get back to really enjoying my cricket. I will also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with that."