With Jos Buttler announcing his decision to step down as captain, England now faces the task of finding a new leader.
At the press conference, England’s media manager made it clear—Buttler would answer only three questions. And that’s exactly what happened. After responding to three queries, Buttler walked away, leaving one big question unanswered: Who will captain England in their final Champions Trophy match?
Brendon McCullum was asked the question right away. “Who will captain England against South Africa on Saturday?” The coach responded:
“Jos (Buttler) will lead the team in that match as well. It will be his final game as captain. Hopefully, the boys will give their best and bid him farewell in style.”
That settles one question. But McCullum must soon answer the bigger one—Who will replace Buttler as England’s next captain?
The Leading Contenders
For now, Harry Brook appears to be the frontrunner. He has been Buttler’s deputy in the squad and is already considered a key player for England’s future. Brook also has prior leadership experience—he captained England in a five-match ODI series against Australia last September when Buttler was absent. His performance with the bat was outstanding, scoring 312 runs at an average of 78, further strengthening his case.
While Brook is the favorite, Liam Livingstone is another contender. He, too, has captaincy experience, having led England in a three-match series against West Indies last October-November when both Buttler and Brook were unavailable. During that series, he smashed a destructive century in one match and a crucial 48 in another, proving his leadership potential.
Another name in the conversation is Phil Salt, who captained England in two matches against Australia last September in Buttler’s absence.
A Shift in England’s Captaincy Strategy?
For the past decade, England’s white-ball leadership has been in the hands of limited-overs specialists like Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler. Their appointments reflected England’s strategy of having separate captains for red-ball and white-ball formats.
If Brook takes over, it would mark a shift from that approach. At just 25 years old, he is a key player across all three formats and is expected to be a mainstay in England’s long-term plans.
McCullum’s Approach to the Decision
McCullum has made it clear—this is a decision to be taken after the Champions Trophy. Whoever takes charge will need time, support, and the right structure to succeed.
“Whatever decision we make, we need to ensure it works. It’s still fresh—it hasn’t even been 24 hours (since Buttler’s announcement). After Saturday’s match, we’ll have plenty of time to consider who is best suited to lead England and what kind of support system they will need.”
He also emphasized that England already has strong leadership within the squad, crediting Buttler for helping develop young leaders.
“We have some great options—some outstanding young leaders have emerged, and that’s partly due to Jos (Buttler). He played a role in shaping leaders within the team. While he wasn’t the most experienced captain, he mentored younger players, helping them grow into leadership roles. Whoever we choose, we need to ensure they have the full support required to thrive.”
With England preparing for a new era in white-ball cricket, all eyes are now on McCullum’s decision—Who will be England’s next captain?
