Jos Buttler’s time as England’s white-ball captain has been defined by a run of disappointments, and the latest defeat against Afghanistan was the most bitter of all. That loss in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy means that England is out of the competition, adding to a string of poor performances. The captain’s record is now at seven losses in a row, reflecting a concerning trend in the way England have been playing.
A Year And A Half Of Disappointment
The defeat to Afghanistan is England’s second successive group-stage elimination in major ICC events, after their disappointing early exit in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Since becoming captain in July 2022, replacing Eoin Morgan, Buttler had guided England to success in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Their fortunes have since hit rock bottom, though. In the 58 white-ball games under Buttler’s captaincy, England have won just 26, which includes a semi-final loss in the 2024 T20 World Cup and now this current failure in the Champions Trophy.
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Jos Buttler To Consider All The Possibilities
“Yeah, I think obviously the results aren’t where they need to be and I personally need to consider all possibilities. And like I said, obviously, we need to get us as a team back to where England cricket needs to be in the white ball formats. And I think I’ve got to work out personally am I part of the problem or am I part of the solution?” The England captain said
Rising Questions About His Captaincy
While the early success of the T20 World Cup triumph initially masked his shortcomings, the sequence of dismal performances has mounted the questions on his leadership. With England’s group-stage exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup, questions over his captaincy had already started arising. The latest Champions Trophy debacle has further aggravated these concerns, mounting even more questions about whether he should remain in the captaincy position.
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Jos Buttler’s Uncertain Future
In the aftermath of this recent failure, Buttler confirmed that he would avoid making any rash decisions regarding his captaincy future. He will speak with the highest echelons from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the next few days about what lies ahead for him. Buttler also discussed his own personal form, conceding that his batting had been problematic. With only a century in his past 58 games (across both T20Is and ODIs), his performance too has come under the lens.
Jos Buttler To Think About His Captaincy Future
“As I said, I’m not going to make any emotional decisions right here, right now. You’re probably not the first people I’d discuss that with. And take a little bit of time to just work out personally what I think is right. And obviously, the guys at the top are in charge and they will have their own views as well – so as I said, we need to get the team back to where it needs to be – competing for winning these tournaments and as I said I’ve got to work out – am I part of the solution or not?” Buttler added.
Captaincy And Mental Health
“It’s had its moments for sure. I know lots of people think it doesn’t sit well with me being captain and that kind of thing but I really do enjoy it. I enjoy leading. Even before when I wasn’t captain I’d like to think of myself as a leader in the team. But, results are tough and they weigh heavy at times. And, of course, you want to be leading a winning team and we haven’t been that for a while now so obviously that brings some difficult moments.”
When asked if his captaincy role was affecting his physical and mental health, Buttler clarified that he had long considered himself to be a leader even prior to becoming the actual captain. He asserted that the leadership role did not only stop at the title, and he continued to work for the team in spite of the increasing pressure.
