Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the upcoming one-day series against West Indies in a significant blow to England’s preparations for next year’s Champions Trophy.
Buttler, who has been sidelined since late June because of a calf problem, has suffered a “slight setback” in his recovery and will miss the three-match ODI series, which starts in Barbados on October 31.
The white-ball captain is aiming to be fit in time for the five-match T20 series that follows, with all-rounder Liam Livingstone set to lead the 50-over side for the first time in a remarkable turnaround less than two months after he was dropped.
Essex’s uncapped wicket-keeper batter Michael Pepper has been added to the squad as Buttler’s replacement. The 26-year-old finished the domestic season in good form, with two hundreds in his county’s final three matches.
Buttler has not played competitive cricket since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India at the end of June and missed both the Hundred and last month’s white-ball series against Australia, having initially hoped to be fit in time for the latter.
The skipper’s absence is a source of frustration for England, who have launched a regeneration of their 50-over set-up following the dismal World Cup defence of 12 months ago.
The three-match series against West Indies is one of only two England are due to play before the Champions Trophy next spring, and the last under interim head coach Marcus Trescothick. Test coach Brendon McCullum will then take charge from the start of next year ahead of the white-ball tour to India.
Two as yet unnamed players from the Test side are due to be added to the West Indies tour squad that was announced earlier this month, with their identities to be decided following this week’s Third Test series-decider against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Livingstone’s promotion to captain represents a rapid up turn in fortunes. The 31-year-old was initially left out of the ODI squad to face Australia last month, but was called up as a replacement for Buttler following a good run of form in the T20 series.
He then excelled in a finisher role in England’s two triumphs in the 3-2 series defeat, including when blasting 62 from just 27 balls in a rain-affected win at Lord’s.
