Jos Buttler's replacement as England captain identified

England National Cricket Team’s humiliating exit from the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has sparked intense debates among cricket experts and former players about the team’s leadership, with growing calls for Jos Buttler to be replaced as the captain.

With England failing to make it to the semifinals for the second consecutive 50-over ICC tournament, pressure is mounting on the ECB and the team management to make bold changes, including captaincy. Several names have been thrown into the mix, but none seem like a guaranteed choice.

Nick Knight backs Harry Brook to replace Jos Buttler as England's ODI captain

Reacting to the debate, former England batter Nick Knight has pointed out that the national team has experimented with different captains in recent months, with Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Harry Brook all getting opportunities in white-ball cricket. However, if a change is made, he would like to see Harry Brook take over from Jos Buttler from the current setup.

Read Also: Ian Bishop demands Jos Buttler's immediate sacking after England's CT 2025 exit

Brook has been a rising star and could be entrusted with the responsibility. But Knight said that the challenge of selecting the right captain is beyond just picking the best player, as they need someone with tactical acumen, leadership skills, and the ability to inspire a struggling team.

Nick Knight was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “When you look at England, they've experimented a little bit in recent times, because Jos hasn't been fully fit and been able to take his place as captain. They've tried Salt, Liam, and Brook in the ODIs and T20Is. You could look at one of those. I suspect if it was any of them, Brook would probably be the name that would perhaps come to the fore more so.”

England set to face a tough choice between leadership and performance

The former left-handed batter is unsure whether England will stick with someone from the current squad, or will they look beyond their existing options to find a strong and strategic leader. But if they want to pick from the current team, then Brook can be the best option, according to Knight.

Knight further explained that when a team is looking for their perfect captain, they very often look at the history and are always attracted to their best and most consistent players because they're going to play in all the matches.

He further went on to point out that the teams often pick their best player as captain, hoping it works out, rather than choosing a natural leader and tactician. But sometimes, the best leader isn’t in the best XI, and that makes the decision tricky.

Read Also: Wasim Akram exposes Ex-England star for crying after Jos Buttler-led team's CT 2025 exit

Nick Knight says it's a very tricky job to get the right person

Knight signed off by saying, “So, it's a very tricky job to get the right person to do that job. If you're going to ask outside of the current 11, I just need a bit of time to think about that. I'm not going to jump out there. But perhaps Harry Brook would be the one who might be considered more of those that are currently in the setup.”

Notably, Jos Buttler-led England will play their final match in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on March 1 against South Africa at the National Stadium in Karachi.