London
Phil Salt will lead England in the upcoming T20I series against Australia after regular captain Jos Buttler was sidelined with a calf injury. The England Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that Buttler’s injury not only rules him out of the T20Is but also casts doubt on his participation in the upcoming ODI series.
Salt, a 28-year-old opener from Lancashire, has had an impressive run, scoring 885 runs at a strike rate of 165.11 in 31 T20Is. He has also led the Manchester Originals in The Hundred tournament this season.
Buttler’s absence is considered a major setback for England, as he is a key player in the squad. To fill his spot, all-rounder Jamie Overton has been brought into the T20I squad, while Jordan Cox has been added to the ODI squad as cover.
The three-match T20I series against Australia kicks off on September 11 at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, followed by matches on September 13 in Cardiff and September 15 in Manchester. The five-match ODI series is set to begin on September 19 at Trent Bridge.
Meanwhile, Australia started their UK tour with a record win against Scotland in Edinburgh and will play two more T20Is against Scotland before facing England.
England’s T20I squad includes Phil Salt (C), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, and John Turner.
