The white-ball captain of the England team, Jos Buttler, missed the recently concluded ‘The Hundred 2024’ due to a calf injury which he picked during the training for the Manchester Invincibles a few days before the start of the 100-ball tournament.
He captained the national side in the T20 World Cup 2024, in the West Indies and United States of America (USA), after which their white-ball coach Matthew Mott lost the job on the back of their poor performances while Jos Buttler was backed to the selection committee to stay in the role.
The Taunton-born is expecting to work with the interim coach Marcus Trescothick during their T20I and ODI series against Australia in September. Since sustaining the calf injury for the Hundred, the veteran returned to training and has been working with the physio, Craig de Weymarn in Bristol.
“Another good session in the bank. Picking up injuries as a professional sportsman is always frustrating, and I was gutted to miss the Hundred this year.” The England captain wrote on his social media.
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Jos Buttler to make a comeback through T20 Blast quarter-final
The wicket-keeper batter, who didn’t feature for Lancashire this year, is in contention to be part of the quarter-final of the T20 Blast at Hove on September 04, as he looks forward to the fitness program. Sussex has been boosted with the return of Jofra Archer, who could open the bowling to the England captain.
Lancashire hasn’t been enjoying a great time in the County Championship’s second tier, looking to avoid relegation with just two victories in eight games. They are hoping to develop the season by reaching the finals day of the T20 Blast.
“That’s looking really positive. We should have everyone fit for the quarter-finals. Jos Buttler has been doing a lot of rehab. I’ve been in contact with him, and he’s very keen to play. We are happy to leave it down to the last day.” The coach of the side, Dale Benkenstein, expressed on August 25.
“He’ll do a fitness test on Monday, just before the game, and with the England physios and everyone giving him the green light, then, he’ll play. We are very keen that if he’s fit and ready to go then he’ll be playing.” He added during the conversation with ESPNcricinfo.
Jos Buttler’s presence will be a huge boost for the Lancashire side, as the right-handed wicket-keeper batter has smashed 11842 runs in 400 innings of the format at an average of 35.03 and a strike rate of 145.03, celebrating 82 half-centuries and eight centuries with a best score of 124-runs.
Saqib Mahmood, the pacer and the wicket-keeper opening partner of a potential Buttler for the Roses, Phil Salt, is expected to make a comeback in the T20 quarter-final after being rested for their Championship game against Surrey this week. Liam Livingstone is going to make his presence, while Chris Green will be absent from the game due to being in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
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“We’re still hanging in there. But the T20 was something where we didn’t think we had the best team: we were missing a lot of players, and that was a real positive that we won five out of our first six games in the beginning, with a lot of guys not there.” Benkenstein remarked.
England is expected to name their squad for the white-ball series on August 26, as Jos Buttler and all the players named in the T20I squad will not be available for the Blast final on September 14, which is between the second and third T20I against Australia.