Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England’s upcoming ODI series in Pakistan after suffering a hamstring injury, dealing a setback to the team ahead of the October tri-series. The wicketkeeper-batter sustained the injury during England’s ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley last week. Buttler was initially forced to retire hurt but returned to the crease later in the innings despite visibly struggling with the problem.
The England white-ball star was then left out of the team’s 223-run victory over Sri Lanka at The Oval on Sunday. With his recovery still ongoing, Buttler will now miss the tri-series involving England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
England limited-overs coach Brendon McCullum confirmed that Buttler will not travel to Pakistan, although he admitted that the team does not yet have a definite timeline for his return. “Jos won’t be in Pakistan,” McCullum said. “We know he’s an incredible athlete, we know he’s supremely fit and an ultra professional, so he’ll do everything he can to get back as soon as possible but it’s hard to judge how long that will be.”
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McCullum also acknowledged the disappointment of losing an experienced player but believes Buttler’s absence will provide an opportunity to assess England’s squad depth. “It’s disappointing not to have Jos but it will be good for us to see where we’re at,” he added.
Jos Buttler will miss England’s ODI tri-series in Pakistan next month with a hamstring injury and is a significant doubt for their subsequent white-ball tour to Australia https://t.co/pxmLXlKnL9
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) September 28, 2026
Buttler’s injury comes soon after he reached a significant milestone in his international career. Earlier this month, the 36-year-old became the first England batter to score 10,000 runs in international white-ball cricket, combining his ODI and T20I performances. England are scheduled to face Pakistan twice and Sri Lanka twice in the tri-series, with a potential final also part of the tournament.
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Buttler’s absence is likely to give Jordan Cox another opportunity behind the stumps. Cox returned to England’s ODI team against Sri Lanka at The Oval and made an immediate impact. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 76 off 52 balls in England’s convincing victory, strengthening his case for an extended run in the side while Buttler continues his rehabilitation.
