New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) After stepping down as England white-ball captain following an early exit from the Champions Trophy, Jos Buttler said he was left with “great sadness” after relinquishing his leadership role which he felt was an immense honour.
England ended their eight-team tournament without a win after losing to Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa respectively.
Buttler, who was appointed as Eoin Morgan’s successor in June 2022 and won the T20 World Cup in Australia later that year, announced his decision before their final Group B match against South Africa which they lost by seven wickets in Karachi.
Taking to social media on Monday, Buttler shared his thoughts on the decision and also thanked family, fellow players and support staff members for their backing throughout.
“It’s with great sadness that I have decided to step down as England white ball captain. Leading your country is an immense honour and something I have and always will be very proud to have done. The results are clear and obvious and it is the right time for me and the team to make this decision,” Buttler wrote in an Instagram post on Monday.
“I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all the players, staff and England fans who have supported me throughout my time as captain but most importantly I would like to thank my wife Louise and my family. You have been unwavering pillars of support throughout the highs and lows of the job and I cannot thank you enough onto the next chapter…,” he added.
England head coach Brendon McCullum hinted that the team may opt for multiple skippers or identify one player to handle the captaincy of both the ODI and T20I teams.
“We’ll work it out over the next few weeks. We’ll make sure we have a good look at how the structure looks, how things are placed, and what each side needs. And if it’s the same person, then great. If it’s two different people, then great too,” McCullum told reporters.
“We’ve obviously now got a structural change which is going to take place… and then with that they’ll bring some of their own ideas and want to stamp their own style on things. So, there’ll be a natural evolution of the team,” he added.
–IANS
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