New Delhi [India]: Even after the return of skipper Jos Buttler after recovering from a calf injury, star England batter Phil Salt will keep wicket for the Three Lions’ upcoming T20I series against West Indies.
Buttler had missed the limited-overs series against Australia, where England levelled the T20Is and narrowly lost the ODIs. Phil Salt and Harry Brook had led the T20I and ODI sides, respectively in his absence.
Ahead of the third ODI match between England and West Indies in Barbados, Salt said that he has not done wicketkeeping a lot for England recently.
“It’s not something I’ve done a lot for England recently. But I enjoy keeping. I feel like that’s where I offer most to the side,” Salt was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
Salt has kept wicket in 13 of his 59 matches for the Three Lions across formats and has been given the gloves in the current ODI series against the Caribbeans.
According to ESPNcrinfo, Buttler has started training at Kensington Oval. Even though the 34-year-old is not available for selection for the third match of the ODI series he will resume captaincy duties from the five-match T20I series.
This will be Buttler’s first appearance since England’s defeat in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final in June.
In the first two ODI matches against West Indies, Salt has scored 77 runs at a strike rate of 87.50. Currently, the ODI series has been tied 1-1 after the Caribbeans won the first game and the Three Lions triumphed in the second match. The third ODI match will take place on Wednesday at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.
The first and second T20I matches of the series will be played at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on November 9 and 10 respectively.
Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia will host the final three matches of the series between England and New Zealand on November 14, 16 and 17 respectively.
England limited-overs squad: Jos Buttler (C), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.