England's white-ball cricket team faces a period of introspection following their unexpected exit from the Champions Trophy after a defeat to Afghanistan. This loss marks yet another setback, as England has now lost 12 of their last 16 one-day internationals since their historic World Cup win in 2019. Jos Buttler, England's white-ball captain, has announced that he will take the next few weeks to consider his future in the leadership role.
The match against Afghanistan saw England allowing their opponents to post a formidable score of 325-7. Despite a stellar 120-run innings by Joe Root, England failed to chase the target, with Buttler and Ben Duckett being the next top scorers at just 38 runs each. Reflecting on the loss, Buttler expressed his thoughts on the team's performance and his role as captain.
"I'm not going to make any emotional decisions right here, right now. I'll take some time to work that out personally and the guys in charge will have their own views, too."
Since Brendon McCullum took over as head coach at the beginning of the year, replacing Matthew Mott, he has shown unwavering support for Buttler, suggesting that the captain might still have his "best years ahead of him" for England. However, England's struggles persist, evidenced by their one-sided series defeat by India prior to the tournament.
"A more firing and confident team would have got over the line here."
Buttler's record as captain includes three consecutive disappointments in white-ball tournaments. Despite this, he maintains a positive outlook regarding his role.
"If I knew, I wouldn't be playing the way I am. I don't feel far way, it's disappointing when you're not reaching the level of the best in the world."
England's next challenge is a three-match home series against West Indies, set to commence on 29 May. Before that, they face South Africa in their final group game of the Champions Trophy on Saturday. As Buttler contemplates his future, he acknowledges the need for change and improvement within the team.
"We need to consider all possibilities and get English cricket back to where we should be in white-ball cricket."
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