Picture : Twitter/ englandcricket
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that explosive wicket- keeper batsman Jos Buttler has been appointed as the captain of England Men’s team across both white-ball formats.
He succeeds Eoin Morgan, who retired from international cricket earlier this week. The ECB Interim Chair, Martin Darlow, and Interim Chief Executive Officer, Clare Connor, approved the appointment on Wednesday evening following the recommendation by the Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Rob Key.
You’ve changed English cricket forever.
An innovator 🏏 A motivator 💪 A champion 🏆
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— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 28, 2022
Buttler has been part of England’s white-ball teams for over a decade. He played his first T2OI game in 2011 and made his ODI debut a year later. The wicketkeeper/ batsman has been an integral part of the set-up, having been vice-captain since 2015 and has led the team 14 times previously (Nine ODIs and five T20Is). He has represented England 151 times in ODIs scoring 4,120 runs at an average of 41.20, including 10 hundreds.
Our new men’s white-ball captain 🧢
🗣 In his own words, these are the matches that made @JosButtler…
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 30, 2022
In T20 internationals, he has won 88 caps scoring 2,140 runs with an average of 34.51.
He is one of three England cricketers (others being Dawid Malan and Heather Knight) to have scored hundreds in all three formats of the game.
“I would like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to Eoin Morgan for his outstanding leadership over the past seven years. It has been the most memorable period for everyone involved. He has been an inspirational leader, and it has been fantastic to play under him. There are lots of things that I have learnt from him that I’ll take into this role. It is a great honour to take over from Eoin, and the place he has left English white-ball cricket in is exciting, and I am inspired for the challenges ahead,” said Buttler.
“There is excellent strength-in-depth in the white-ball squads, and I am looking forward to leading the teams out for the series that are coming up against India starting next week and later in July against South Africa. It is the greatest honour to captain your country, and when I have had the chance to step in the past, I have loved doing it. I cannot wait to take this team forward,” he added.
Clare Connor, Interim ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “Jos is a fantastic role model who inspires through his performances on the pitch. He has been instrumental in setting new standards in men’s white-ball cricket, and is the perfect leader to build on the incredible legacy which Eoin has built for our men’s white-ball teams. I am excited to see where Jos and Matthew Mott take things from here, particularly as we build towards the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, said: “Jos Buttler was the perfect choice to succeed Eoin Morgan as our white-ball captain, and I had no hesitation in offering him the role. Jos has been part of our white-ball set-up for over a decade and was integral in the transformation of the way the team has played its attacking brand of cricket over the past seven years.”
“He is well respected in the dressing room by all of his teammates and will relish leading his country. He is in the form of his life and is showcasing his talent against the best players and teams in the world. I believe the extra responsibility will take his game to a new level and inspire those around him. I am looking forward to seeing him take us forward. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity,” he added.
The England Men’s selection panel will announce the squads for the T20is and ODIs against India on Friday at lunchtime.
