UK (Commonwealth) _ All-rounder Liam Livingstone will serve as captain of England during their white-ball tour of the West Indies due to Jos Buttler’s delayed recovery from a calf injury.
Buttler, 34, hasn’t played since the T20 World Cup in June, but he remains in the squad, holding the captaincy for the next five-match T20 series. He will not play in the three one-day internationals in the Caribbean.
Livingstone, 31, is set to captain England for the very first time in the ODI series in Buttler’s absence, and Essex wicketkeeper Michael Pepper, who has not yet been capped, has been picked for the ODI squad.
Livingstone’s remarkable comeback culminates after his initial exclusion from the ODI squad for the Australia match last month. Last month, the ODI team left him out to play Australia but then called him in to replace the injured Buttler.
The versatile player captained Lancashire in the T20 Blast and Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. He played for England, which won the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Even though England is calling Buttler’s injury “slight,” it is becoming increasingly worrisome.
Despite not playing since England’s T20 World Cup defeat, Buttler sustained his third calf injury since 2021 in the summer.
After his initial disqualification from The Hundred, England selected him to play against Australia.
Buttler then withdrew from the T20 series due to the issue, and although he attempted to return for the five ODIs, he was also forced to withdraw.
Harry Brook, who led England in the ODI series against Australia when Buttler was out, is not in the squad for this visit since he is playing in the Test tour of Pakistan.
The England squad ready to depart for the West Indies is as follows:
For the T20, Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Michael Pepper, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner, and Jos Buttler, captain Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran , Will Jacks , and two more players will be included from the current Test team in Pakistan.
Liam Livingstone, England’s sixth captain this season, will lead the squad in the one-day international series against the West Indies, following yet another setback for Jos Buttler after his comeback from a calf injury.
Buttler, 34, has not been able to play senior cricket since England’s failed defense of the T20 World Cup in June due to a calf injury he first suffered while sprinting on the beach during a family holiday. Because of the repeated relapses, the medical team is now worried about the problem.
However, during recuperation, Buttler reinjured the muscle, forcing him to watch from the sidelines. Initially, everyone anticipated his return for the September white-ball series at home against Australia. Buttler suffered a second setback while running last week, leading to his elimination from the three Caribbean ODIs starting in Antigua on October 31. He is currently struggling to prepare for the upcoming five-match Twenty20 international series.
Livingstone will now definitely captain that team, while Essex wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper will take Buttler’s spot in the ODIs. Two Pakistani players who have not yet been selected are also expected to be selected when the third Test selection procedure, which starts this week in Rawalpindi, is finished.
Ollie Pope has replaced Ben Stokes in four Test matches due to injury, and Harry Brook and Phil Salt have both commanded the white-ball team while Buttler was overseas. This continues the trend of interim England captains for the past year. As he adjusts to playing cricket in 50 overs, Salt has been released from the additional duties, while Brook, who is considered Buttler’s long-term replacement here, will miss the Caribbean tour due to fixture congestion.
Livingstone was initially excluded from England’s first-choice ODI team for the series against Australia. Because of Buttler’s injury and his excellent T20 performance, he was able to regain his spot. The 31-year-old, who has captained Lancashire in every format before, at least has experience.
Jos Buttler is struggling to recover from a calf injury he sustained while on vacation. Because of his health, he will miss two games.
