Stokes and Root's Champions Trophy Return Uncertain, Says Buttler

Jos Buttler, England's white-ball captain, has expressed uncertainty about the return of Ben Stokes and Joe Root to the team for the upcoming Champions Trophy. While Stokes has indicated a willingness to return if requested by new coach Brendon McCullum, Root's intentions remain unclear.

Buttler acknowledged that the decision lies with McCullum, who will assume full-time responsibility for the white-ball side in January. England has a white-ball tour to India in January, which includes three ODIs, before the Champions Trophy begins in February.

Buttler emphasized that the team has performed well in the absence of Stokes and Root, with young players stepping up. He also expressed hope that the pair still harbors white-ball aspirations, recognizing their exceptional talent.

Root, England's all-time leading ODI run-scorer, has struggled in recent 50-over matches, averaging just 22.94 since July 2021. Stokes, on the other hand, has maintained a solid average of 43.38 in ODIs over the past five years.

Buttler believes that the appointment of McCullum as overall head coach will foster greater consistency between the red-ball and white-ball teams. He praised the performance of Saqib Mahmood, who was named Player of the Series against West Indies with nine wickets in four matches.

Buttler also reflected on his own return from injury, having missed four months with a calf problem. He opted not to keep wicket in the series against West Indies to gain experience captaining from the field. While he enjoyed the experience, he remains uncertain about whether he will permanently relinquish the gloves.

Tags: #Cricket, #England, #ChampionsTrophy, #BenStokes, #JoeRoot