ENG vs AUS: Brook to replace injured Buttler as England captain for Australia ODIs

For the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Australia, England will have a new captain due to Jos Buttler’s ongoing calf injury, the team management announced on Sunday.

Buttler, who is 34, has not played since England’s defeat to India in the T20 World Cup semi-final in June. His injury has kept him out of both the ongoing three-match T20 series, which ends on Sunday, and the five-game ODI series against Australia.

In Buttler’s absence, the 25-year-old Harry Brook will captain the ODI team. Brook has only 15 ODI matches under his belt and was still learning the format during England’s difficult World Cup campaign in India last year, where they failed to defend their title.

England sees Brook as a future long-term leader. His appointment as captain means that England will have had a new captain in all three international formats this season. Ollie Pope took over as Test captain from Ben Stokes when Stokes missed the series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, while Phil Salt has led the T20 team in Buttler’s absence.

Josh Hull, the 20-year-old left-arm fast bowler who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka earlier this month, was initially set to be part of the ODI squad but will now rest due to a quad injury. He will prepare for next month’s tour to Pakistan instead.

Liam Livingstone, who was dropped from the ODI squad earlier, has been recalled after impressing in the T20 series against Australia, which is currently tied 1-1 ahead of the final match in Manchester.

The ODI series against Australia, the current 50-over world champions, starts at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday.