Jos Buttler’s availability for England's T20I series against Australia in doubt

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of Lancashire's T20 Blast quarter-final due to a setback in his recovery from a calf injury. This development has also cast doubt on his availability for England's T20I series against Australia, starting on September 11.

Despite this setback, England remains optimistic about Buttler's fitness. They hope he will be ready to captain the team during Australia's upcoming eight-match white-ball tour. The England squad is set to assemble at the Utilita Bowl on Sunday for two training days, where the medical staff will assess Buttler's condition and determine if he can participate.

England does not have an official vice-captain for their white-ball teams, but Sam Curran and Phil Salt are considered the main candidates to step in if Buttler is unable to play. Even if Buttler is fit, he is not expected to keep wicket during the T20I series, which could increase his chances of featuring in the matches.

Buttler has been out of action since England's semi-final loss to India in the T20 World Cup in June. He suffered a calf injury in July while preparing for the Hundred, which forced him to miss the entire tournament. He had aimed to make his return in Lancashire's quarter-final at Hove after undergoing weeks of rehabilitation. However, Lancashire coach Dale Benkenstein confirmed that Buttler would not be able to play, stating that he had "tweaked" the injury again.

Lancashire will still have several key England players available for the match, including Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Saqib Mahmood. On the opposing side, Sussex is expected to feature Jofra Archer, with their T20 team captained by Tymal Mills. Hove, which hasn't hosted a T20 quarter-final with a crowd since 2019, has already sold out tickets for the match, with fans eagerly awaiting the game.