England’s cricket team will be without key wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler for approximately 11 months due to a left hamstring injury requiring surgical intervention. The 36-year-old sustained the injury during a one-day international (ODI) against Sri Lanka at Headingley in September, where he retired hurt and later resumed batting despite the discomfort. Buttler had surgery earlier this month and is currently undergoing rehabilitation while wearing a leg brace.

Buttler’s absence compounds England’s challenges in their ongoing tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where they have suffered four consecutive defeats. He missed the earlier matches in the campaign and is also unavailable for the white-ball tour of Australia scheduled for November. The Lancashire player has now ruled out participation in the three ODIs planned for South Africa in early January, stating these fixtures would come “a bit too soon.”

Looking ahead, Buttler aims to return to competitive cricket with the Durban Super Giants in the South African SA20 franchise tournament, which runs through January and February. Following this, he intends to continue his streak by participating in a 12th consecutive season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, his IPL commitments may lead him to miss five home ODIs against Pakistan in May.

Given this timeline, Buttler’s first potential international appearance post-injury would be in a September 2027 ODI versus New Zealand, less than a month before the Cricket World Cup scheduled to take place in Southern Africa. As part of his recovery and preparation, Buttler may feature in some 50-over matches for the England Lions.

Speaking on his “For the Love of Cricket” podcast, Buttler emphasized the importance of a cautious approach to his return, noting that medical advice suggested a 12 to 16-week recovery window following surgery. “Hopefully, I’ll have a bat in my hand well before that. But rehab’s never straightforward,” he said. Buttler acknowledged the extensive cricket schedule ahead in the new year and expressed a clear intent not to rush his comeback.