Jos Buttler ruled out of The Hundred and set to lose England captaincy in a double blow

Jos Buttler is reportedly set to withdraw from the Hundred as his future as England's white-ball captain remains uncertain.

The wicketkeeper-batsman was due to lead Manchester Originals in the fourth edition of the Hundred but has been forced to pull out of the competition owing to a calf injury. He suffered the injury during a training session. According to a report in The Telegraph, the full extent of the injury is not known yet but Jos Buttler is likely to remain on the sidelines for around six weeks.

With the Hundred to take place from July 23 to August 18, the injury has effectively ruled Jos Buttler out of the tournament. The report further stated that the England star is also doubtful for the three-match T20I series against Australia, scheduled to begin on September 11.

In the England captain's absence, Phil Salt is likely to lead the Originals. The report also stated that the team is likely to announce a replacement in the coming days. The Originals will be opening their campaign in the Hundred 2024 on Thursday against Welsh Fire.

Jos Buttler set for crunch talk:

After being ruled out of the Hundred, Jos Buttler is due for talks with managing director Rob Key this week over his position as England captain. The meeting takes place after England's poor campaign in last month's T20 World Cup where they crashed out at the semifinal stage following a 68-run loss against eventual winners India.

For the second year in a row, England failed to do well in an ICC competition. Last year, they had performed poorly in the ODI World Cup as well under the captaincy of Buttler. England, who were the defending champions could not even get past the league stage in the competition/

And the failure in the T20 World Cup has piled more pressure on Buttler as well as white-ball coach Matthew Mott. The Telegraph has reported that the poor campaign has left both Buttler and Mott's positions in severe doubt.

The report also stated that Buttler is not a very popular captain in the dressing room as players and the backroom staff have criticized his leadership. With the next T20 World Cup to take place in 2026, the England management could indeed take a few big calls including replacing 33-year-old Buttler as the captain.