NEW DELHI: Jos Buttler is determined to remain England captain despite a disappointing World Cup campaign for both him and the team.
England's title defence has seen them win only two out of eight games in the group stage, with their last match against Pakistan in Kolkata on November 11 being their group-stage finale.
England still have a chance to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan via a top-eight finish at the World Cup after a 160-run victory over the Netherlands. This win ended their streak of five consecutive defeats, but Buttler's personal performance in the tournament has been underwhelming, with just 111 runs in eight innings at an average of under 14.
Buttler plans to meet England cricket director Rob Key before the Pakistan match and expressed his desire to captain a potentially revamped squad on a tour of the West Indies next month. He said, "I'd like to. I know Rob Key arrives in India today. We can have some good conversations with him and the coach and make a plan for that tour."
Reflecting on England's recent victory over the Netherlands, Buttler commented, "It's been a frustrating time, not winning games of cricket or playing as well as we'd like, I'm delighted with this win."
Ben Stokes played a crucial role in England's victory, scoring 108 runs to take England to a total of 339 for 9. However, Stokes won't be part of the squad for the West Indies tour as he is set to undergo knee surgery after the World Cup.
While there were suggestions for Stokes to return for surgery once England's chances of reaching the semi-finals were dashed, Buttler confirmed that there was never any discussion about an early departure.
Buttler praised Stokes for his exceptional performance and stressed the importance of the upcoming Pakistan match, calling it a "huge game" for England. He expressed the team's desire to leave India with a strong performance after a challenging trip.
(With AFP inputs)
