England white-ball captain Jos Buttler will miss the three-match T20 series Australia due to a calf problem with Phil Salt to lead the side in his absence.
Buttler, 33, has suffered a setback recovering from the injury that kept him out of The Hundred, with his last appearance the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India in Guyana on June 27.
He is also a doubt for the five one-day internationals against Australia that follow the T20s.
The T20I series starts at The Utilita Bowl in Southampton on September 11, before further games in Cardiff on September 13 and at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on September 15, with the ODIs running from September 19-29 – all eight games are live on Sky Sports.
Surrey all-rounder Jamie Overton has been called up to the T20 squad, while Essex batter Jordan Cox – who was already in the T20 party – has been added to the ODI group as cover.
Salt and Cox are the contenders to keep wicket in the T20 series with Buttler missing out, while England will also have the option of handing Jamie Smith the gloves in the ODI series when the Test wicketkeeper links up with the squad.
England selector Luke Wright and interim white-ball head coach Marcus Trescothick had already intimated that Buttler could play as a specialist batter moving forward.
Buttler led England to the 2022 T20 World Cup title in Australia but then presided over a dismal first-round exit at the 2024 50-over World Cup in India before his men lost in the last four at this summer’s T20 edition in the Caribbean.
White-ball head coach Matthew Mott left his position after the T20 World Cup and England announced on Tuesday that Test coach Brendon McCullum will now take on both roles.
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Michael Atherton says Brendon McCullum will find coaching England’s Test and one-day squads a tough challenge despite the fixture list easing slightly
Trescothick will be in charge on an interim basis against Australia and again later this year for the tour of the West Indies, with McCullum’s first white-ball assignment the trip to India in January ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
England vs Australia schedule – all games live on Sky Sports
- 1st T20 (September 11) – The Ageas Bowl, Southampton (6.30pm start)
- 2nd T20 (September 13) – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (6.30pm start)
- 3rd T20 (September 15) – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (2.30pm start)
- 1st ODI (September 19) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (12.30pm start)
- 2nd ODI (September 21) – Headingley, Leeds (11am start)
- 3rd ODI (September 24) – Seat Unique Riverside, Durham (12.30pm start)
- 4th ODI (September 27) – Lord’s, London (12.30pm start)
- 5th ODI (September 29) – The Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (11am start)
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