ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Jos Buttler blocks Ben Stokes, Joe Root’s ODI comeback

England National Cricket Team skipper Jos Buttler has clearly stated that the superstar players - Joe Root and Ben Stokes - are not guaranteed a return to the white-ball set-up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Jos Buttler added that as Brendon McCullum takes charge as the all-format head coach, he would be in touch with Joe Root and Ben Stokes and was hopeful of the seniors' retaining ambitions for limited-overs cricket.

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Ben Stokes and Joe Root out of the ODI set-up since 2023

The red-ball giants of England - Joe Root and Ben Stokes - have stayed away from the ODI set-up since the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, where the Three Lions had an awful campaign.

Ben Stokes has overall represented England in 114 ODIs and has scored 3463 runs while picking up 74 wickets. Also, he played a vital role in the 2019 World Cup-winning campaign of the English team. Previously, Ben Stokes had stated that he would definitely return to ODIs if Brendon McCullum asked him to.

Meanwhile, Joe Root is one of the all-time greats of England in ODI cricket as in 171 matches he has slammed 6522 runs at an average of 47.60.

Joe Root has established his legacy as the greatest Test batter in the history of English cricket, and he will be crucial for the team in the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan.

It's conversations for the next few weeks with the guys in charge - Jos Buttler

When asked whether Joe Root and Ben Stokes will be slotted back into the ODI squad for the marquee event, Jos Buttler said that he doesn't have any clarity on that.

"I don't know exactly. Obviously Brendon McCullum is coming in full-time and he'll be in touch with the guys," said Buttler, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

Jos Buttler was further asked if the duo are guaranteed spots in the playing XI, and he responded that the team management will be deciding on the matter in the next few weeks. He elaborated:

"It's conversations for the next few weeks with the guys in charge. The guys here have played really well. Some of the young players have done themselves no harm at all. There are people who aren't here who will have aspirations to be in the white-ball side as well. It's really exciting. I can't speak for them individually but I hope they have white-ball aspirations. They're two great players.

"Naturally the teams will become closer in terms of personnel now the overall messaging will be coming from one man who is in charge of England cricket now. The guys who play all three formats, they won't feel it's red or white as much anymore," Buttler further said.

"Maybe you'll see the same faces and the same guy in charge, no matter what colour the ball is. It's certainly going to give more consistency."

To come and beat the West Indies here is a great effort - Jos Buttler

The England tour of West Indies 2024 recently concluded with the Men In Maroon winning the ODI series 2-1 and the Three Lions winning the T20I series 3-1.

After losing the ODI series, England National Cricket Team made an astonishing comeback to register three wins on the trot to seal the five-match T20I series against West Indies, who had dominated at home in the shortest format in the last few years.

Talking about the win, Jos Buttler said that it was a great effort from his team and expressed delight at the performance of the players. He said:

"To come and beat the West Indies here is a great effort. We've had some close series against them over the last few years which has been good. I'm really pleased for everyone in the dressing room who put in the performances we did to get the results we got."