“It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team,” declares Buttler

Jos Buttler has formally resigned as England’s white-ball captain following their premature exit from the Champions Trophy. He will captain the team one last time in their final match against South Africa in Karachi before handing over the reins to a new captain.

England’s tournament in the Champions Trophy was ended in disappointment as they suffered successive losses to Australia and Afghanistan. Their problems had been apparent even prior to the tournament, with only one victory in eight matches during their Indian tour—Brendon McCullum’s first assignment in charge of the team as a white-ball coach.

“I’m going to step down as England captain,” Buttler said. “It’s the right thing for me and the right thing for the team. Hopefully, someone else can come in with Baz and get the team to where it needs to go.” With Buttler stepping down, vice-captain Harry Brook is now the favorite to assume the leadership role.

Even after giving up captaincy, Buttler has no intention of giving international cricket a miss. His only priority now is to fall in love with the game all over again. “The overwhelming feelings are still disappointment and sadness. I’m sure, in time, that will come around, and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket,” he said. “It has been an enormity honour to captain my country, and I’ll always treasure the special moments that came with it.”

Buttler became the captain in June 2022 after Eoin Morgan retired and guided England to T20 World Cup victory in Australia later that year. However, things went rapidly downhill. Three consecutive flops at ICC tournaments—the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and now the 2025 Champions Trophy—have led him to resign as captain.

After England’s eight-run loss to Afghanistan, their ninth defeat in ten white-ball games this year, Buttler had intimated his decision. “You’ve got to look at all the options,” he said then. “You’ve got to ask yourself if you’re part of the problem or part of the solution.”

Looking back at the poor recent form of his team, Buttler acknowledged this tournament as the turning point of his captaincy. “It was fairly apparent that this competition was going to be significant, both results-wise and in respect of leadership from me. Two defeats and early elimination from the tournament simply picked up on previous tournament trends. I’d quite simply come to the end of the road as captain, which is frustrating.”

He was especially looking forward to sharing the dressing room with McCullum, hoping for an instant turnaround, but that did not happen. “With Brendon joining only now, I was very much looking forward to being with him very closely and getting the team to move forward. But it has not quite panned out as I would have liked. So, resigning now seems to be the correct thing to do for me as well as for the team.”

Buttler’s leadership was brought under greater scrutiny as England suffered through their extended slump in ODI cricket. Their defense of the 2023 World Cup title ended in disaster, the team winning only three of nine group-stage matches before being the first team to be eliminated. That tournament heralded the start of a disconcerting decline, with England losing 18 of their next 25 ODIs—both of which clinched their Champions Trophy fate.

While universally considered to be among England’s best white-ball batsmen, Buttler’s personal form has reflected the team’s woes. In the last 18 months, his ODI statistics have fallen sharply. In his previous 21 innings, he has scored at a rate of 26.40, with a strike rate only just over 100—considerably lower than his career strike rate of 115.97. In the Champions Trophy, he did not make an impression as he scored 23 of 21 deliveries against Australia and 38 of 42 against Afghanistan even as he came in with England in commanding positions.

Brook is the heir apparent to many minds, yet McCullum emphasized that no choice has been made yet. He complimented Buttler’s captaincy while also admitting to the onus of the situation. “We’ve all witnessed the past few years just how much he’s committed to leading his country and attempting to get the most out of his teammates,” McCullum said. “People often forget that he won a World Cup just two years ago, and that’s something that can never be taken away from him. His decision to step aside is incredibly selfless, and he remains a vital player for us. We’ll look at ways to maximize his impact in the team moving forward.”

England’s management also expressed their gratitude for Buttler’s time as captain. England Men’s managing director Rob Key recognized the adversity Buttler was in and praised his resilience. “It’s been a joy to work with Jos. He was given some really harsh challenges, but he never ducked any of them. Nobody deserved to win that T20 World Cup in Australia more than him. I look forward to seeing him return to the ranks, playing freely and at his best.”

Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, concurred with those views, highlighting Buttler’s legacy and ongoing value to the team. “I would like to thank Jos for all that he has given as England’s white-ball captain. During his stewardship, we were crowned T20 World Champions, and he has been an ongoing role model for how he carries himself both on and off the pitch.”

Gould, who has tracked Buttler’s career since his youth at Somerset, is upbeat about his future within England’s system. “Jos is one of the best white-ball cricketers cricket has ever produced. I’ve seen him develop from a young prodigy into a world-class player, and I really do believe he has many more years to go. England supporters will undoubtedly keep on loving watching him play for the side.”

As England enters a transition phase, identifying Buttler’s replacement will be a priority. Whoever takes over will have the task of rebuilding an underperforming team and restoring its white-ball cricket dominance. But for Buttler, the choice has been made. His captaincy days may be done, but his England journey is far from over.