Jos Buttler and coach Matthew Mott had a strong run when they led England to victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. However, things didn’t go as well for them in the 50-over World Cup held in India last year, where they managed to win only three out of their nine matches.

Their troubles didn’t stop there. In June, England faced a heavy defeat against India, who went on to become the champions, in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup held in the Caribbean.

Recently, England lost a one-day international (ODI) series to West Indies 2-1. This marked their 12th loss in 18 ODIs, adding to the pressure on the team.

Buttler, who has been sidelined with an injury for four months, said that this break made him even more determined to lead England through a new phase of white-ball cricket. “I just want to be part of developing the next era of white-ball cricket and enjoy this phase of my career,” he shared. Reflecting on his time away from the game, Buttler added, “When you get injured like that, it makes you realize how much you want to come back.”

Brendon McCullum, who’s been working closely with Buttler, admitted that part of his job is to lift Buttler’s spirits. He noted that Buttler had been down at times due to England’s recent struggles in limited-overs cricket. “It’s something I need to work on,” said Buttler.

Despite the challenges, Buttler expressed excitement about McCullum’s leadership. He admired the positive influence McCullum has had on the Test team and is looking forward to working with him. “He was always someone I wanted to play with. Now I get to work with him as a coach—it’s a great opportunity,” Buttler said.

For the upcoming T20 series, Buttler will focus solely on batting, with Phil Salt taking over as wicketkeeper. Marcus Trescothick will continue serving as interim head coach.

Buttler explained that he decided to give up wicketkeeping after discussions with McCullum, who had made a similar decision during his playing career as New Zealand’s captain. “McCullum found it helpful to be closer to the bowler while captaining. I’m open to anything that benefits me and the team,” Buttler remarked, adding that he feels comfortable fielding.

In other news, West Indies has named a 15-man squad for the first two T20 matches. Seamer Matthew Forde will replace Alzarri Joseph, who is serving a two-match suspension following an argument with Shai Hope during the third ODI.