The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday appointed Jos Buttler as England’s new white-ball captain.
Buttler now, takes over from ODI World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, who had announced his retirement from international cricket earlier this week.
Notably, Buttler had made his T20I debut in 2011 and made his ODI debut a year later. The wicketkeeper/ batsman has led England 14 times so far (Nine ODIs & five T20Is).
Commenting on the development, Buttler, said: “I would like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to Eoin Morgan for his outstanding leadership over the past seven years. It has been the most memorable period for everyone involved. He has been an inspirational leader, and it has been fantastic to play under him. There are lots of things that I have learnt from him that I’ll take into this role.”
“It is a great honour to take over from Eoin, and the place he has left English white-ball cricket in is exciting, and I’m inspired for the challenges ahead. There is excellent strength-in-depth in the white-ball squads, and I’m looking forward to leading the teams out for the series that are coming up against India starting next week and later in July against South Africa. It is the greatest honour to captain your country, and when I have had the chance to step in the past, I have loved doing it. I can’t wait to take this team forward,” he added.
On the other hand, Clare Connor, Interim ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “Jos is a fantastic role model who inspires through his performances on the pitch. He has been instrumental in setting new standards in men’s white-ball cricket, and is the perfect leader to build on the incredible legacy which Eoin has built for our men’s white-ball teams.”
“I’m excited to see where Jos and Matthew Mott take things from here, particularly as we build towards the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” he added.
Meanwhile, Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, said: “Jos Buttler was the perfect choice to succeed Eoin Morgan as our white-ball captain, and I had no hesitation in offering him the role. Jos has been part of our white-ball set-up for over a decade and was integral in the transformation of the way the team has played its attacking brand of cricket over the past seven years. He is well respected in the dressing room by all of his teammates and will relish leading his country.”
“He is in the form of his life and is showcasing his talent against the best players and teams in the world. I believe the extra responsibility will take his game to a new level and inspire those around him. I’m looking forward to seeing him take us forward. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity,” he added.
Notably, Buttler is one of three England cricketers (Dawid Malan and Heather Knight) to have scored a ton in all three formats of the game.
His first assignment as England’s full time captain will be the three-match T20I series against India, scheduled to begin on July 7 at The Rose Bowl, Southampton.