3 players who can captain England if Jos Buttler is ruled out of Australia T20Is ft. Sam Curran 

England white ball skipper Jos Buttler has yet to recover from the calf injury that ruled him out of the T20 Blast quarter-final. Buttler is now running against time to regain fitness ahead of the T20I series against Australia which gets underway on September 11 at Southampton.

While the England team management is hopeful of Buttler’s recovery before the first match, the medical team will get a clearer idea of his availability after the team assembles at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton for a two-day training session.

The squad features several new faces as the management aims to revive their white ball fortunes after below-par outings in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup. Since becoming the first team to simultaneously hold both the ODI (2019) and the T20 (2022) World Cups, England has been on the decline in the limited-over format.

If Jos Buttler doesn't recover in time for the T20I series against Australia, they will need to look at other options.

3 players who can captain England if Jos Buttler is ruled out of Australia T20Is

#3. Philip Salt

Phil Salt led the Manchester Originals in the Hundred. Source: Getty

A fearless striker of the ball, Phil Salt is an integral member of the England white-ball sides, especially the shortest format.

Salt was at his blistering best during the 2024 T20 World Cup and stamped his authority at the top of the order. One of the cleanest strikers of the ball, Salt could be a possible option to lead England if Buttler doesn't recover in time.

He led the Manchester Originals in the recently concluded The Hundred Men’s Competition. It wasn't a great campaign for them as they lost seven out of their eight matches and couldn't make it to the knockout stage. However, Salt gave a good account of himself as a batter and a wicketkeeper.

#2. Liam Livingstone

Liam Livingstone has been a regular feature of the England white ball side. Source: Getty

Another brutal striker of the ball, Liam Livingstone’s vast experience makes him another potential option to lead England. He has been an important member of the England white-ball sides and has so far featured in 48 T20Is and 25 ODIs.

Livingstone couldn't make a big impact at the 2024 T20 World Cup but played some valuable knocks for the Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred Men’s Competition. Moeen Ali was in charge of the Phoenix squad but he has been left out of the England T20I squad, opening up the probability of Livingstone leading the side.

#1. Sam Curran

The left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder could be another option to lead England in Jos Buttler’s absence. Curran had a great all-round season with the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.

The 26-year-old is a regular feature in the England white-ball sides and could be picked as the white-ball captain.

He has the experience of leading the Punjab Kings in the IPL. While the franchise didn't perform particularly well during the 2024 IPL, Curran led from the front with both bat and ball. He is a utility player and will look to make his presence felt in the upcoming series.