Jos Buttler Out of Pakistan Tri-Series; Jordan Cox to Step In

England’s wicketkeeper Jos Buttler will miss next month’s 50-over tri-series in Pakistan due to a hamstring injury. He hurt himself while batting during the second one-day international against Sri Lanka at Headingley on 24 September. Buttler had to retire hurt after reaching 66 runs but later returned to finish on 69. Despite his efforts, England lost the match by 16 runs, and now Buttler won’t be available for the upcoming series.

Coach Brendon McCullum said it’s difficult to say how long Buttler will be out, but confirmed that young player Jordan Cox is expected to take his place. Cox has only played three ODIs so far but impressed in recent Test matches against Pakistan, scoring well at the top order. This tri-series, starting on 20 October, will be a chance for Cox to prove himself further.

England will face Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the tri-series, which runs until the end of October. The squad is due to be finalised soon, and England are also preparing for a white-ball tour in Australia in November. However, it’s still unclear when Buttler will return to the team.

In the meantime, Dan Lawrence was called up to England’s squad for the final ODI against Sri Lanka after Buttler was ruled out of that game too. Lawrence, who has featured in Tests but not yet in limited-overs internationals, joined the squad for further assessment of Buttler’s injury.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had originally named both Buttler and Cox in the squad for the recent Sri Lanka series, showing the selectors’ interest in giving Cox opportunities. Buttler remains on a central contract with England until September 2027, but his immediate focus will be on recovery.