Salt to lead England in Australia T20Is in absence of Buttler

England captain Jos Buttler has been officially ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against Australia due to a right calf injury. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Thursday, September 5, that Buttler could also potentially miss the subsequent five-match ODI series later this month. In Buttler's absence, Phil Salt will step in as the stand-in captain.

Injury setback and replacement updates

Buttler’s injury, which occurred ahead of The Hundred, has prevented him from participating in the tournament and has now cast doubt on his availability for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia. The injury, initially expected to heal in time, has worsened, putting Buttler’s participation in the English summer fixtures at risk. Since England’s semi-final exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup in late June, Buttler has been sidelined.

In light of Buttler's absence, all-rounder Jamie Overton has been called up as a replacement for the T20I squad. However, Overton is still recovering from a stress injury in his back and may feature primarily as a batter rather than an all-rounder. Additionally, Jordan Cox, who is currently with the England red-ball team for the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, has been included in the ODI squad as cover.

Upcoming series and schedule

Australia, who are currently touring Scotland for T20Is, are scheduled to begin their series against England on September 11 in Southampton. The ODI series between the two teams will commence on September 19 at Trent Bridge. With Buttler’s leadership on hold, England will look to Salt to lead the team through these crucial white-ball encounters against Australia.

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