New Delhi, Nov 8: Former England Test captain Alastair Cook has spoken about the need for England to clarify Jos Buttler’s role in their white-ball cricket teams moving forward. Buttler has been out of action since suffering a calf injury after England’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to India.

Buttler is set to return as captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series against the West Indies. However, he won’t be keeping wicket this time around. Phil Salt will take over the wicketkeeping duties, and Essex’s Michael Pepper has also been added to the squad after featuring in England’s 2-1 series defeat in the Caribbean.

Cook highlighted the uncertainty around Buttler’s role, explaining that whether he keeps wicket or not could depend on how he recovers from his injury or if the team prefers to make a tactical change. “They need to make a decision soon,” Cook said. “Where Buttler bats – either at the top or in the middle order – has a big impact on how they structure the team.”

Cook expressed optimism about Buttler’s future with England, emphasizing that his signing of a two-year central contract signals his commitment. “It’s great to see England’s best white-ball player showing that he’s eager to keep playing for the national team and lead them again, rather than just focusing on franchise cricket.”

Looking ahead to England’s T20I series, Cook pointed out several young players who could make an impact, including Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, and Liam Livingstone. He noted that these players have grown up with T20 cricket and have all the skills needed to succeed but now need international experience to take their game to the next level.

Cook explained that young players often need time to settle in before they can truly shine. “You’ll see one of them step up, score runs, feel more confident, and then suddenly everything clicks for them in international cricket,” he said. “We’re waiting for that breakthrough moment.”

He went on to say that while these players have shown promise, consistency is key and something that will develop with time. Cook is eager to see which of these rising stars will make the leap.

Cook also shared his excitement about Jofra Archer’s recent performances. Archer played all three ODIs against the West Indies despite coming off a long injury layoff. Cook said it’s a good sign for Archer’s physical condition that he was able to play back-to-back matches after being managed carefully earlier in the year.