England’s cricket team has faced a series of setbacks in recent ICC tournaments, leading to introspection about leadership and performance.
Following their early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after an eight-run defeat to Afghanistan, captain Jos Buttler has openly questioned his role in the team’s struggles.
“The results aren’t where they need to be, and I personally need to consider all possibilities,” Buttler stated. “We need to get us, as a team, back to where England cricket needs to be in the white-ball formats. And I think I’ve got to work out, personally, am I part of the problem or am I part of the solution?”
Notably, this sentiment comes after England’s third consecutive underwhelming performance in major ICC events under Buttler’s leadership, including the ODI World Cup 2023 in India and the T20 World Cup 2024 in the Caribbean. Despite possessing a squad rich in talent, the team has failed to advance beyond the group stages in the recent tournaments.
‘There might be leadership questions now’ – Ian Bishop on Jos Buttler’s Captaincy
Former West Indies fast bowler and commentator Ian Bishop expressed his astonishment at England’s decline.
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“They have to be a much better team than that,” Bishop noted. “I think there might be leadership questions now, given the history that they’ve had from 2019. The quality is there, but they are not harnessing it. And that might just mean maybe another leadership.”
‘I’m not going to make any emotional decisions right here’ – Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler, acknowledging the weight of recent failures, emphasized the need for thoughtful reflection before making any decisions about his captaincy.
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“I’m not going to make any emotional decisions right here, right now,” he said. “Results are tough, and they weigh heavy at times. Of course, you want to be leading a winning team, and we haven’t been that for a while now, so obviously that brings some difficult moments.”
With England set to face South Africa on March 1 in Karachi in their last match of the tournament, debate over the direction and leadership of the English team is growing stronger. Everyone is waiting with bated breath for Buttler’s move, which may spell a big change in England’s strategy to regain their position in international white-ball cricket.
