Buttler steps down as England white-ball captain after Champions Trophy exit

Wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler stepped down as England's limited-overs captain on Friday, days after a group stage exit from the ICC Champions Trophy.

After a five-wicket defeat by arch-rivals Australia in their Champions Trophy opener, England were eliminated on Wednesday following their eight-run loss against tournament debutants Afghanistan in Lahore, Pakistan.

He made the announcement during the pre-match press conference with his coach Brendon McCullum ahead of team’s final ICC Champions Trophy match against England.

Buttler will lead the side for the final time in the upcoming match against South Africa in Karachi.

Buttler, who succeeded Eoin Morgan as captain in June 2022, guided England to a T20 World Cup victory in Australia later that year. However, the team’s fortunes have declined sharply since, with being without finals in three consecutive ICC tournaments: the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

“I’m going to stand down as England captain,” Buttler said. “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’s decision comes after England’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan on Wednesday, their ninth defeat in 10 white-ball games this year. Following the match, he hinted at stepping down, saying he needed to “consider all possibilities” and determine whether he was “part of the problem or part of the solution.”

Reflecting on his tenure, Buttler expressed disappointment but acknowledged the need for change. “It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important results-wise and for my captaincy,” he said. 

“Two losses and being out of the tournament [was] a bit of a hangover of tournaments before. I’d just reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame, and I’m sad about that.”

Buttler also spoke about his initial optimism working with head coach Brendon McCullum, who joined the setup recently. “With Brendon coming in, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and to take the team forward. But it’s not quite worked out that way, so just feels like the right time for me and the team to have a change.”

Harry Brook, Buttler’s vice-captain, is widely regarded as the frontrunner to take over the leadership role. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to announce a successor in next few weeks.

The 34-year-old had led England to their second Twenty20 World Cup title in 2022, but their performances have dipped since then with the side failing to retain their T20 or ODI World Cup crowns.

Last year, Australian coach Matthew Mott stepped down after England's T20 World Cup semi-final exit against eventual champions India with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum tasked with reviving the country's limited-overs fortunes.

— With additional input from Reuters