Jos Buttler has stepped down as England’s captain for white-ball cricket after his team was knocked out early in the ongoing Champions Trophy. He made the announcement before their final group match against South Africa.
Jos Buttler Steps Down as England’s White-Ball Captain
Under Jos Buttler’s captaincy, England lost to Australia and Afghanistan in the 2025 Champions Trophy, causing an early exit from the tournament. The 34-year-old will captain England for the final time in their last group match against South Africa on Saturday in Karachi.
“It’s the right decision for me, it’s the right decision for the team and hopefully somebody else who can come in and work closely alongside Baz [Brendon McCullum] to take the team back to where it needs to be,” Jos Buttler said in a press conference on Friday, February 28.
Buttler admitted that his decision to step down was influenced by his team’s early elimination from the Champions Trophy.
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“Yeah, I think it’s quite clear that this tournament was going to be important results-wise for my captaincy and obviously two losses and being out of the tournament with a bit of a hangover of some tournaments before, I think I just probably reached the end of the road for me and my captaincy, which is a shame,” he said.
“I think overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment, but I’m sure in time that will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket and also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with that,” he added.
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Buttler’s Emotional Farewell: Reflecting on His Time as Captain
Jos Buttler became captain in 2022 after Eoin Morgan retired and led England to victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, results dropped after that, with England failing to advance past the group stage in the 2023 ODI World Cup and losing in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinals to India.
In 2025, the ECB hired Brendon McCullum as coach for the white-ball teams, but the partnership with Buttler didn’t bring the desired results.
“I’m sad about that and obviously with Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and take the team forward, but it’s not quite worked out that way. It just feels like it’s the right time for me and also for the team to have a change,” Buttler said.
Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025 AFG vs AUS: Rain Disrupts The Match, AUS In The Semi-Finals
