While Brook took care of the ODIs in Buttler’s injury-forced absence when Australia were last in England, Salt stood in for the drawn T20 series and said he “really enjoyed my first go at captaincy”.
England's group stage exit at the Champions Trophy - a third flop at a major tournament in the last 18 months, having relinquished both white-ball World Cups - left Buttler considering his position.
Since a player of the tournament role in the triumphant 2022 T20 World Cup campaign, his fortunes have mirrored that of England, with his bowling average and economy rate climbing and his batting not kicking on as some might have hoped.
But, as with Brook, England will be mindful of his workload especially in an Ashes year, while Duckett’s occasional habit of saying the wrong thing might keep him in the rank and file.
England lost 3-2 but Brook was the highest run scorer in the series in a summer where he led Northern Superchargers to the brink of The Hundred eliminator, alongside Andrew Flintoff.
