Champions Trophy make or break for Buttler as England look to stop slide

After defeat in India, England start tournament against Australia, who are without their feared fast-bowling trio. In contrast to the drawn-out 50-over World Cup and its T20 equivalent, the Champions Trophy is a pretty cutthroat affair, with one slip-up in the group stage manageable but two pretty much terminal. Jos Buttler called it a “brutal” format before England’s opener against Australia in Lahore on Saturday, while his opposite number, Steve Smith, spoke of needing a “quarter-final” mentality.

As unforgiving as it is, there is a fair bit riding on this Champions Trophy for Buttler, a captain who lifted the T20 World Cup in 2022 straight after replacing Eoin Morgan but has struggled to live up to it since. Series results have nose-dived, both world titles were surrendered meekly, and the messaging has often been confusing. Matthew Mott paid the price as head coach last year but not every shortcoming was his.

To that end, Brendon McCullum’s role expanded to incorporate the white-ball teams this year and his contract was extended to 2027. But while the New Zealander has been able to let the imposing Ben Stokes set the tone of the Test side and serve as facilitator, his brief with Buttler has been one of lightening the load. The first move was to tell Buttler to start enjoying his cricket, before peeling away the wicket-keeping gloves to improve his control of events on the field and reboot his batting.

The latter is surely the key, with Buttler’s place in the pantheon of white-ball greats assured but his returns as captain taking a downward turn. In the carbuncle that was the 2023 World Cup campaign, he averaged a sorry 15, and while this rises to 33 as permanent captain of the ODI team, only one of his 11 centuries has come in this time. The latest attempt to change his fortunes is to move back down to No 6 in the order, England opting to stick Jamie Smith at first drop and pack the batting.

“I feel like 50 overs has been my best format over my career,” said Buttler. “It’s where I’ve had the most impact and I want to try and double down on that super-strength of being in the middle order, playing impactful innings and being really true to my own identity as a cricketer. I think that’s really something I’m tapping back into. That’s what I want to get out of this tournament and going forward. Over the rest of my career I want to be true to that and, if I can, I’ll be very content.”.

While Buttler likely needs positive results for his own job security, such thoughts – much like the Test team under Stokes and McCullum – are being parked. Ben Duckett caused a stir during the recent 3-0 defeat in India when he said he did not care about the whitewash if England went on to win the Champions Trophy; a statement that saw its qualifier widely ignored and annoyed a good deal of supporters in the process. For Buttler, having also defended his team’s work ethic in India, it was misunderstood.

“Every single player who plays international sport, no matter what sport it is, I can guarantee would not have got there if they weren’t ultra-competitive and didn’t want to win,” said Buttler, clarifying his opener’s remarks. “What people must understand is that people saying you want to win doesn’t guarantee results.

“You have to find ways to look after the things that you can control; to work out how to be really present at a tournament like the Champions Trophy. Getting close to what we’re capable of is the thing I want most out of us, and if we’re doing that then the results will come as well.”.

First up in a group that features Afghanistan and South Africa are Australia, the first of a derby-themed weekend with India versus Pakistan to follow. Not since 2011 have Australia’s men gone into a global tournament without at least one of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc at their disposal; a golden opportunity, one would think, and not least on a Lahore surface tipped to be full of runs.

Sign up to The Spin. Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week’s action. after newsletter promotion. England are walking a tightrope with their XI, however, with just four frontline bowlers and the spin of Joe Root and Liam Livingstone tasked with chiselling out 10 supplementary overs. It was a team structure that brought New Zealand success in the recent tri-series in Pakistan, notably, and there is every chance Australia match up similarly. Word is that Glenn Maxwell will bat at No 7, with his off-breaks, plus Travis Head and Matthew Short, expected to make up the shortfall.

England (confirmed): Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood. Australia (possible): Travis Head, Matt Short, Steve Smith (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.