Jos Buttler faced a barrage of difficult questions Wednesday night after’s his team’s removal from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Afghanistan beat the former world champions in Lahore by 8 runs, sending them home.
Wednesday’s result was yet another early exit for England in an ICC tournament after the 2023 ODI World Cup and the T20 World Cup last year. This was also Buttler’s disposition to England win their seventh straight ODI under current captaincy.
On the Gaddafi Stadium surface, England allowed Afghanistan to recover from 37/3 and post a fighting 325/7. Joe Root’s century was insufficient to guide the side home as England were dismissed for 317 in 49.5 overs.
The post-match presentation had Mike Atherton firing from the hip with difficult questions for Jos Buttler asking a plethora of things from the team’s dip in ICC tournaments to Buttler’s form.
“England judge themselves to hold ICC events. That’s three poor in the row now. So where does that leave your captaincy?” Atherton asked.
In response, Buttler said: “I am trying not to go off of any emotional statements here. Obviously for myself and the guys, ah um, we must look at every single possibility.”
The media asked Buttler about the future of his captaincy after the match, saying he would decide personally, “Am I part of the problem or am I part of the solution?”
He said, “The results obviously aren’t where they need to be. So I’ve got to take into consideration all possibilities. I’ve got to make sure we get the team back to where England cricket needs it to be in white-ball formats.”
Buttler’s own personal guile with the bat has been under microscope even he won’t make any hasty moves following England’s latest defeat.
“I am not going to make those kinds of choices at this moment. You are probably one of the last people I will share these views with. And take a little bit of time to just work out personally what I think is right,” Buttler said.
“Results are tough and at times weigh so heavy. And indeed, you want to lead a winning team and we haven’t been that for-a-while now, hence difficult moments,” he concluded.
