Jos Buttler says he will step down as England’s limited-overs captain after a disastrous Champions Trophy campaign ended with them failing to reach the semi-finals.

“I’m going to stand down as England captain, it’s the right decision for me and the team,” the 34-year-old said at a press conference. “And hopefully somebody else can come in and work closely alongside [Brendon McCullum] to take the team back to where it needs to be.”

Buttler said: “It was quite clear that this tournament was going to be important results-wise for my captaincy” and felt he had “reached the end of the road”.

England have lost 15 of their last 21 ODIs.

England failed to retain either their T20 and 50-over World Cup titles under Buttler’s captaincy.

The team lost their first two matches and the defeat by Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday ended their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the 50-over tournament.

Chasing 326 for victory, England came up just short despite Joe Root’s valiant 120 and fell to 317 all out.

The opening defeat was against Ashes rivals Australia after England failed to defend 351 following a batting onslaught by Josh Inglis, who hit an unbeaten 120.

Buttler has been unable to replicate England’s success as captain of the white-ball team since he led them to a T20 World Cup title in 2022 shortly after taking over from Eoin Morgan.

England won only three of their nine matches as defending champions at the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

The team exited in the semi-final of last year’s T20 World Cup and recently suffered a 3-0 ODI whitewash in India ahead of the Champions Trophy.

The India series was coach McCullum’s first white-ball assignment after enjoying success in the Test role with captain Ben Stokes.

“With Brendon coming in only recently, I was really excited to work closely alongside him and hope for a very quick turnaround and take the team forward,” said Buttler. “But it’s not worked out that way. It feels like it’s the right time for me and also for the team to have a change.”

Buttler has led England in 44 ODIs, with a record of 18 wins, 25 defeats and one no-result.

In T20Is he captained the team to 26 wins, 22 defeats and three no results in his 51 matches in charge.

Buttler said it has been “an immense honour to captain your country”.

England face South Africa in their final group match in Karachi on Saturday.

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England captain Jos Buttler expects Australia to pose a tough challenge when they meet in a Champions Trophy Group B clash in Lahore on Saturday, despite missing their pace trio.

Australia’s campaign in the eight-nation Champions Trophy was hit hard after their regular skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to ankle and hip injuries.

To add to their woes, spearhead Mitchell Starc withdrew from the event for personal reasons while Mitchell Marsh, suffering a back injury, and Marcus Stoinis shockingly retired from ODIs.

Experienced batsman Steve Smith will take over as captain with an inexperienced pace attack, but Buttler did not underestimate the traditional rivals.

“They have been a real pillar of success for Australia for a long period of time, so naturally there’ll be a miss for their team,” Buttler told a news conference on Friday.

“But they’ve got some top players to step into those shoes as well and Australia always over time have performed very well in ICC tournaments.We expect a really tough challenge.”

MORE: Aussie expects Proteas to win ICC event soon

Australia’s pace attack will be led by Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis and Ben Dwarshuis, while spinner Tanveer Sangha supplements Adam Zampa in spin bowling.

“England and Australia, there’s always a great rivalry and a competitive match. And obviously, in the Champions Trophy format, each game is really a massive game,” Buttler told reporters. “So, we look forward to it.”

Buttler said fast bowler Jofra Archer is fit and raring to go.

“He’s been fit and firing now for 18 months or so since being out of the game for a while. So, he’s really excited to put together a performance,” he said of the 29-year-old pacer.

Archer featured in all five T20Is against India but missed the last two ODIs on the tour that preceded the Champions Trophy.

“He is someone as a captain you always know you can turn to and throw the ball to,” Buttler added. “He’s obviously going to be really looking forward to the game tomorrow.”

England had announced their final XI for the match on Thursday evening, recalling wicketkeeper-batsman Jamie Smith who will bat at three – a decision Buttler backed.

“He’s obviously got the game technically and tactically, but I think the head on his shoulders seems to be one of the biggest strengths,” he said. “Nothing seems to faze him too much. I think you could ask him to bat anywhere in the lineup and it wouldn’t phase him. We feel it gives him a nice position to try and really impact the game.”

Buttler hoped conditions in Pakistan will be different from India where they lost T20I series 4-1 and ODIs 3-0.

“I think everywhere you go around the world, everywhere has its own nuances and different conditions. We’ve got lots of guys who’ve played in Pakistan before, so sharing those experiences,” he said.

England is the only top side not to have won the Champions Trophy, initiated in 1998 as the ICC Knock-Out tournament.

Besides England and Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan are in Group B.

Defending champions and hosts Pakistan, India, New Zealand and Bangladesh comprise Group A. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

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England captain Jos Buttler has rejected calls to boycott their Champions Trophy clash against Afghanistan.

A group of more than 160 British politicians have written to the ECB calling for England not to play the match in Lahore on 26 February over the Taliban regime’s assault on women’s rights.

Since returning to power in 2021 the Taliban have effectively banned the participation of women in both sport and broader public life.

That puts the Afghanistan Cricket Board at odds with the rules of the ICC.

Buttler said sports and politics should be kept separate.

“Political situations like this, as a player you’re trying to be as informed as you can be,” he told reporters ahead of the first T20I against India in Kolkata on Wednesday.

“The experts know a lot more about it, so I’ve been trying to stay in dialogue with Rob Key [managing director of ECB] and the guys above to see how they see it.

“I don’t think a boycott is the way to go about it,” he added. “Certainly as a player, you don’t want political situations to affect sport. We hope to go to the Champions Trophy and play that game and have a really good tournament.”

MORE: Proteas shouldn’t play Afghanistan – Sports minister

The ECB has resisted calls for a boycott, with chief executive Richard Gould saying instead he would “actively advocate” for collective action by the ICC instead.

The ICC has allowed the Afghanistan men’s team to keep competing in global competitions.

England are clubbed with Afghanistan, Australia and South Africa in the group phase of the Champions Trophy, which begins on 19 February.

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