London: Right-handed batter Harry Brook has been chosen to captain England in the approaching one-day series against Australia. The move follows the absence of Jos Buttler, who is still sidelined by a calf injury. The 34-year-old veteran suffered the injury while gearing up for The Hundred 2024, which resulted in him missing the whole season and the current T20Is against Australia, with Phil Salt taking the leadership role in those games.
Buttler's healing process has been slower than the medical staff anticipated, meaning that despite being originally named in the ODI squad, he will now miss these matches as well. His last outing for England was during the T20 World Cup semifinals on June 27 in Guyana, where India defeated England by 68 runs, ending their tournament run after they failed to chase 172.
This series against Australia marks a milestone for 25-year-old Harry Brook, as it's his first time leading the national team in any format. While new to the international captaincy, he is a seasoned player for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast and the Northern Superchargers. His leadership experience includes captaining England's Under-19 side during the 2018 World Cup, and he recently served as vice-captain during the Test series against Sri Lanka when Ollie Pope was filling in for Ben Stokes.
In an official announcement, the ECB confirmed that Yorkshire's Harry Brook would be stepping up to lead the ODI squad in Buttler's stead. Buttler himself expressed support for the move, noting it's a fantastic opportunity for 'Brooky.' Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board also had to adjust the roster due to an injury to left-arm pacer Josh Hull. The 20-year-old, who made a strong impression by taking three wickets in his Test debut against Sri Lanka, will miss the ODIs but remains part of the squad for the three-test tour of Pakistan starting in October.
To fill the void left by Buttler, the selectors have brought in spin-bowling all-rounder Liam Livingstone. Currently in excellent form during the T20I series, Livingstone joins the squad for the five-match ODI series, which kicks off on September 19 at Nottingham's Trent Bridge.
Livingstone earns his way back into the setup following a standout performance in the first two T20Is against Australia, highlighted by a brilliant 87 off 47 balls that helped secure a series-leveling victory at Cardiff's Sophia Garden. The ODI schedule begins on September 19 at Trent Bridge, with subsequent matches taking place in Leeds, Chester-le-Street, Lord's, and Bristol.
England's ODI squad for the Australia series: Harry Brook (C), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, and John Turner.