Jos Buttler's Captaincy in Question-Scales the Future in Light of England's White-Ball Cripples

England's recent performance in limited-overs cricket has been anything but convincing. Gone are the days when England used to be the cricketing power in world cricket, and its performance in large ICC tournaments plummeted, making the leadership and strategy questionable. At the center of all such criticism is Jos Buttler, whose leadership now comes under scanner after another dismal stint at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

England's Failures in ICC Events

The Champions Trophy was the latest in England's recent misadventures. A defeat to Afghanistan knocked them out of semifinal contention, with supporters and pundits questioning whether Buttler has captained England for the last time in white-ball cricket. The early exit follows on from poor showing in international competitions, including a seventh-placed finish in the 2023 ODI World Cup and a semifinal defeat to India in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Since their victory at the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, England has never managed to maintain their grip on the sport. In a bid to overcome all these challenges, the England Cricket Board (ECB) made sweeping changes where they dropped experienced players such as Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Reece Topley, Sam Curran, and Chris Jordan in favor of new faces. In addition, Brendon McCullum was appointed as the all-format head coach, with hopes that his attacking "Bazball" approach—so successful in Test cricket—would be replicated in the white-ball formats. Unfortunately, as the recent performances show, the transition has not been smooth sailing.

A Bumpy Ride in the Champions Trophy

England's preparation for the Champions Trophy was less than ideal. They lost 4-1 to India in the T20I series and were whitewashed 3-0 in the following ODIs. All that notwithstanding, they started the tournament on a positive note with a big score of 351 against Australia. A record chase by the Aussies spoiled their mood, though. A do-or-die game against Afghanistan saw them disappointing once again, not taking chances when it was necessary and getting eliminated from the tournament in the end. These reversals have once again raised questions regarding Buttler's leadership and the direction of the team.

Buttler's Personal Form Fuels Concerns

Other than captaincy concerns, even Buttler's batting has been inconsistent. His ODIs after the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup have not been great. He has scored just 214 runs in eight innings at a batting average of 30.57, with a highest of 58 not out. His T20I batting has not been much different either—271 runs in nine innings at an average of 30.11, with two fifties.

Reflecting on his innings against Afghanistan, Buttler admitted to not quite delivering. "I just missed a few at the beginning of my innings and then I got myself to nearly a run-a-ball—38 or whatever I got out for," he said. "I put myself in a good situation again, but I haven't been getting those starts into big scores like I have done previously. That is clearly frustrating.". I believe at my best, I'm among the best players in the world, and that's what the team expects of me. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing that.

The Captaincy Debate-What's Next for Buttler?

In his statement during the press conference after England's exit, Buttler acknowledged that he needs to reassess his role. "The results aren't where they need to be, and I personally need to consider all possibilities," he admitted. I just need to know if I am the solution or the problem. I am not going to be an emotional person and do anything at the moment here. I would like some time to come to terms with what is the best thing to do, and the best people will have a word in their mouth as well, naturally.

Beneath all the criticism, Buttler still insists he loves being captain. "I know that people wonder whether captaincy is for me, but I absolutely adore it. Even when I wasn't the captain, I always considered myself a leader in the team. But results matter, and they weigh heavily when things are not going our way. Obviously, to lead a successful team is so much better, and unfortunately we haven't been that for a very long time now."

Can England Be Rebuilt Under Buttler's Captaincy?

With England struggling to return to being top dogs in white-ball cricket, some serious decisions are on the way. Buttler's captaincy, the overall direction of the team, and how young superstars are included will all be scrutinized as the ECB try to rebuild.

Is it time Buttler stepped aside as captain? Or do they need to make a change, and should they bring in a new captain and lead England into a new era? These are the questions being asked of English cricket as they attempt to put right another lackluster ICC tournament.

For now, Buttler is leaving his doors open, but time is running out. England will have to make tough choices soon if they are to reassert themselves as one of the world's greatest limited-overs teams.