England won’t have their premier wicketkeeper-batsman, Jos Buttler, available for the rest of the home limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. According to ECB, he felt “tightness and discomfort” after playing a stand-out knock of 68 in England’s victory in the second T20I in Cardiff on Thursday.
As per ECB, Buttler went through an MRI scan just after the game, and as it turned out, it showed a “small tear” in his right calf.
“He will return home today (June 25) and commence his rehabilitation programme”,
the board further informed.
Buttler has been replaced by left-hand batsman Dawid Malan for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting next Tuesday in Durham.
The injury would be a genuine cause of frustration for Buttler, who had only just returned to international cricket after over a month’s break. The explosive batsman and keeper was rested from England’s Test series against New Zealand. That, after returning prematurely from IPL 2021, which was suspended on May 4 due to multiple COVID-19 positive cases inside different teams’ bubbles.
Easily one of the world’s best contemporary white-ball cricketers, Buttler is a vital cog in England’s wheels, and they’ll want him back on the park for the rest of the summer. England are due to host Pakistan for a limited-overs series, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, before the focus shifts to the all-important five-Test series against India.
The 30-year-old Buttler has played 50 Tests, 148 ODIs, and 80 T20Is for England with over 8,000 international runs to his name and constantly improved performances as a gloveman.
