More injury woe for England one-day skipper Buttler

October 21

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England’s ODI series against West Indies after another hitch in his recovery from his persistent calf injury.

Liam Livingstone will step in to lead the tourists in the three-match series, which starts in Antigua a week on Thursday, as Buttler’s absence extends into the beginning of England’s winter programme.

Uncapped Essex wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper, who amassed 535 runs at a strike-rate of 193.84 in this year’s Blast, has been named as Buttler’s replacement in the ODI squad.

Buttler, who has not played competitively since England’s T20 World Cup semi-final at the end of June, was unavailable for Australia’s white-ball tour last month because of a niggling right calf problem.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Buttler has had a “slight setback in his rehabilitation” but the 34-year-old will join the side ahead of five T20s that follow the ODIs in the Caribbean.

This is, however, the third time he has postponed his return. Having been forced out of The Hundred in England, Buttler was expected to come back for the T20s then the ODIs against Australia, only to miss both.

Buttler’s third calf problem in four years meant he took up a watching brief in the dressing room as leadership opportunities were handed to Phil Salt in three T20s and Harry Brook in five ODIs.

With Brook unavailable to face the Windies due to his involvement in the Pakistan Test tour, England have turned to all-rounder Livingstone

The appointment represents a stunning turnaround for Livingstone, who was axed from the ODI set-up for Australia’s visit, only to replace the injured Buttler after starring in the drawn T20 series.

The 31-year-old vindicated his return in the penultimate ODI with a blistering 62 not out off 27 balls, equalling the record for the fastest fifty in the format at Lord’s, although he made a duck as England lost the decider.

The call-up for Pepper raises the amusing prospect that he could open the batting with Salt.

Pepper, 26, hit 32 sixes in this year’s Blast, the most of any batter, while Salt, also a wicket-keeper-batter, averages 32.5 from his 24 ODIs.

England travel to the Caribbean next week while Buttler will join the team in Barbados ahead of the five-match T20 series, from November 9.

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