Jos Buttler’s participation in England’s upcoming cricket tours has been put in jeopardy following a hamstring injury. The injury, sustained during England’s defeat to Sri Lanka at Headingley, will see Buttler miss the ODI tri-series in Pakistan next month and possibly the subsequent series in Australia. Jordan Cox is expected to step up as a result, providing an opportunity for increased experience with the gloves and in the batting line-up. England’s coach, Brendan McCullum, is viewing this development as a chance to evaluate England’s squad depth ahead of the 50-over World Cup next year.
The initial assessment of Buttler’s injury is pending; however, McCullum has confirmed his absence from the Pakistan tour. Information obtained by Cricinfo suggests Buttler is highly unlikely to be fit for November’s Australia matches. Drawing parallels with the 2015 All Blacks’ preparations, McCullum emphasised the need for England to brace for unforeseen setbacks, with Cox stepping in as the immediate beneficiary.
Cox recently impressed with a 76-run performance against Sri Lanka, drawing praise from McCullum, who remarked, “I thought it was quite a Jos Buttler innings today.” Despite the setback of losing Buttler, McCullum views this as an opportunity to gauge the squad’s readiness for the challenges leading up to the World Cup. England’s depth was on show even without key players such as Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, and Buttler, who were all sidelined by injuries last Sunday.
Recognising the importance of squad depth, McCullum noted, “This gives you a good line on where you’re at with some of the depth in your squad.” Despite concerns about a lineup skewed towards right-handed batsmen due to player absences, England’s performance has provided encouragement for the future. The recent changes to the World Cup format, requiring England to play 13 matches to claim victory, underscore the necessity for strategic planning.
McCullum hinted at possible resurgences for Curran and Rashid by the Pakistan series. Though there is currently no set return date for Bethell, the ECB anticipates his comeback for the Australia leg, which includes three ODIs and five T20Is.
In preparation for next year’s World Cup, England will be prioritising 50-over cricket, potentially scaling back the participation of all-format players like Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue in the Australian T20Is. McCullum confirmed ongoing discussions with Cricket Australia about scheduling additional warm-up games to enhance the squad’s 50-over match experience.
The England squad for the Pakistan series will be selected imminently and announced to the public later this week. Tongue, among other players, faces the decision to either enter the IPL auction or commit to a busy international schedule. Though McCullum refrained from advising players on these choices, he expressed confidence in their dedication to the national team. “I know that the guys that sit in that dressing-room are desperate to play for England,” he said, noting the sacrifices some have made to remain committed to international obligations.
Reflecting on England’s summer, highlighted by white-ball victories over India and Sri Lanka, McCullum conveyed optimism about the future. Despite some turbulence, he acknowledged the squad’s progress under the guidance of Stephen Fleming and Joe Root in the Test arena, and Harry Brook’s development as a leader within the team.
With England’s international summer drawing to a close, McCullum remains positive about the state of English cricket and the promising developments over recent months.
