Jos Buttler admitted he feared for his position as England captain following their T20 World Cup exit in June, but now anticipates that Brendon McCullum’s appointment as white-ball head coach could mark the most “rewarding” period of his career. Buttler has returned to lead England after a four-month hiatus due to a recurring calf injury. Since his last appearance, which was the T20 World Cup semi-final loss to India, Matthew Mott has been replaced by McCullum.
England triumphed in the 2022 T20 World Cup under Mott and Buttler’s leadership, but faltered in the subsequent one-day international World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, winning just three out of 12 matches against Test-playing nations. “I thought it was a possibility, absolutely,” Buttler said when asked if he believed his tenure as captain was over. “At that point, after the T20 World Cup, I’m sure Rob Key conducted a thorough review of the white-ball setup.”
Buttler expressed his disappointment at Mott’s departure, acknowledging his role in the decision. “It’s always disappointing when someone loses their job, and as a captain, you feel responsible for that with Matthew Mott. It’s frustrating, but I had some good conversations with Keysy, and I made it clear that I didn’t want to continue just because there was no one else, but because I believed I was the right person for the job. He believed I could lead the team forward and take it to a good place.”
Reflecting on whether he considered stepping down, Buttler added, “All sorts of thoughts cross your mind. You try to evaluate everything—your career, your batting, your captaincy, and what you want to achieve. When you really think about the decision, it becomes clear that you’re determined to keep going.”
Despite appearing burdened by the captaincy from the outside, Buttler is excited about McCullum’s influence. “I’m really excited about him taking over in white-ball cricket. You can see the impact he’s had on the Test team and the narrative around English cricket. It’s an amazing opportunity to work with him as a coach.”
Buttler, already a multiple World Cup winner, says conversations with McCullum have reignited his passion to play for as long as possible. “I had some chats with Baz about how this stage of your career can actually be the most rewarding. He spoke about his own experiences as captain in the last few years of his playing career, emphasizing that it’s not about you, but about creating an environment where people can thrive. That’s exactly what I want to achieve.”
England’s five-match Twenty20 series against West Indies kicks off on Saturday, with the first two matches in Barbados, followed by the final three in St Lucia.
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