Jos Buttler Steps Down as England Captain – End of an Era in English Cricket

Jos Buttler has decided to step down as England’s white-ball captain, bringing an end to his tenure just days after their disappointing group-stage exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. The 34-year-old will lead the team one last time against South Africa on Saturday.

Two straight defeats not only knocked England out of the Champions Trophy but also sealed Buttler’s fate as captain. With back-to-back disastrous World Cup defences in the span of 18 months, the Champions Trophy was always going to be a make-or-break moment for his leadership. However, Buttler made it clear that while his captaincy has come to an end, his international playing career is far from over. 

Buttler will captain for the last time in the Champions Trophy tomorrow #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/aWJoe16Kzq

— ScoreWaves (@ScoreWaves) February 28, 2025

“I’m going to stand down as England captain. It’s the right decision for me,” Buttler said in a press conference ahead of the South Africa clash. “It’s the right decision for the team and hopefully for somebody else who can step in, work closely with Baz (Brendon McCullum), and take the team back to where it belongs. This tournament was always going to be an important one in terms of results for my captaincy, and with two losses knocking us out – and the baggage of previous disappointments – I’ve probably reached the end of the road as skipper. It’s a shame, and I do feel sad about it.”  

With Buttler stepping aside, all eyes are now on his likely successor. Vice-captain Harry Brook seems the obvious candidate to take over, but head coach McCullum and England’s director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, have said they’ll take a couple of weeks before making a final decision. Buttler had previously said he wouldn’t make any emotional calls about his future, but after 22 losses in 34 ODIs since taking over from Eoin Morgan in June 2022, the writing was on the wall.