Ex-England Captain Calls For Final Decision On Jos Buttler, Says "They Need To..."

Former Test skipper Sir Alastair Cook said England needs to make a final decision on what role Jos Buttler will play in the white-ball sides in future. Buttler was out of action after the T20 World Cup semi-final loss to India due to a calf injury. Buttler will take up captaincy duties ahead of the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, with Phil Salt to don the keeping gloves and Essex wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper added to the touring squad after being in England's 2-1 series defeat in the Caribbean.

"We know in the T20 series in the West Indies he's not keeping - whether that's injury-related, he's obviously coming back from his calf injury, or it's a tactical thing. I think they're going to see how this goes and then they'll make the final decision."

"But they need to make it, because what he does, whether he bats at the top of the order or bats in the middle order, is a big influence on how you set the side up, and whether he's keeping or not."

"The best thing for me is, a) he's coming back from his injury and, b) he's signed a two-year central contract, which means England's greatest white-ball player is keen to go again, he's not just going to go off to the franchise world, he wants to play for England and he wants to lead England again," said Cook to TNT Sports.

He also talked about the young England players he expects to make a breakthrough in the T20I leg of the Caribbean tour. "I'm looking at the batting line-up, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Liam Livingstone - Livingstone's slightly older - but all those guys, they are the modern player."

"They are brought up on T20 cricket, they are brought up on the white ball, they can play all the shots. So all the talent's there, it's