Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison believes it may be time for Jos Buttler to reflect on his future in international cricket after a difficult campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. According to Harmison, the experienced England batter must honestly assess whether he still has the drive and passion required to continue representing the national side at the highest level.

Buttler has long been regarded as one of England’s greatest white-ball cricketers. The wicketkeeper-batter famously led England to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 title and remains the country’s most prolific T20I run-scorer. Across his T20I career, he has accumulated more than 4,000 runs at an impressive strike rate close to 148, underlining his status as one of the most destructive batters in modern limited-overs cricket.

However, the 2026 edition of the tournament proved challenging for the 35-year-old. Buttler struggled for rhythm throughout the competition, scoring just 87 runs across eight innings at an average of 10.88. His brief 25 off 17 balls in the semifinal against India national cricket team failed to make a significant impact as England bowed out of the tournament.

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Speaking on TalkSport, Stev Harmison suggested that the decision about Buttler’s future should ultimately come from the player himself. “He needs to look at himself in the mirror and say, ‘Do I really want to carry on playing international cricket?’” Harmison said. “If he says, ‘I do’, then he keeps on playing for me.”

Harmison also acknowledged Buttler’s remarkable contribution to English cricket but hinted that the veteran might no longer be enjoying the game at the international level.

“Only Jos can answer that, and he should be allowed to do that,” he added. “But I just look at him, and I’m not sure he’s enjoying playing cricket for England at the moment.”

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Despite the international uncertainty, Jos Buttler will soon return to franchise cricket. The star batter is set to feature for the Gujarat Titans in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League, where fans will hope to see him rediscover his trademark attacking form.