Former England captain Jos Buttler has refused to accept that his international career is over, even after enduring a poor showing at the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest white-ball batsmen of his generation, the 35-year-old scored just 87 runs in eight innings as England reached the semi-finals before losing at home to eventual champions India.
Speaking on his ‘For the Love of Cricket’ podcast alongside former England pacer Stuart Broad, Buttler addressed his form and his future. ‘
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is on a central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board, admitted the campaign had been less than expected.
“Obviously I had a bad match, which is disappointing,” Buttler, who is under contract with England and Wales central, said on his ‘Cricket Love’ podcast with former England pacer Stuart Broad.
Buttler stepped down as England’s white-ball captain following England’s early exit from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
With his future in the team now up for grabs, he has made clear his desire to continue playing for England.
“But I’ve been playing some of my (career) best cricket in recent years, so hopefully I can get back to my best.
“I certainly have ambitions (to play for England again), but not as a captain anymore, I’m not a selector, so what will happen.”
Buttler is set to play for Gujarat Titans in the upcoming Indian Premier League. He hopes time away from the game, including a family trip to the French mountains after the World Cup, will rejuvenate him.
“I couldn’t have walked away from cricket just yet, it just felt right for me at the time,” Buttler said. “It was exactly what I needed.”
“Obviously the match personally didn’t go how I would have liked and I felt I needed some space from the cricket, not thinking about the game and I couldn’t have been further away from the cricket that week.”
Buttler, a key member of England’s 2019 ODI World Cup-winning team and the captain who led the team to T20 World Cup glory in Australia three years later, said he is only now starting to capitalize on his performance.
“It was very refreshing — I really enjoyed it, a complete release, and slowly but surely, I would say at the beginning of this week, (I’m) starting to think a little bit about what’s important to me and my cricket and why it’s not going the way I want it to.
“There are elements that I don’t really get right. For all your best intentions and hard work and effort, it just doesn’t work, and sometimes that’s okay.
“That’s something I have to realize. It’s not for lack of trying, it’s just not going well,” he concluded.