Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has questioned whether Jos Buttler still has the motivation to continue in international cricket after a disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
England’s run in the tournament came to an end on Thursday when the England cricket team lost a tense semi-final to the India national cricket team by seven runs at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Led by Harry Brook, England fought hard in the chase but ultimately fell short.
Buttler endured a particularly difficult tournament. Across eight matches, the right-handed opener managed just 87 runs and struggled to find rhythm at the crease.
In the semi-final, he attempted to attack his way out of the slump but was eventually dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy. The England star finished the competition without a single half-century and failed to provide strong starts at the top of the order.
Following England’s elimination, Harmison said Buttler now needs to reflect on his future with the national side.
“He needs to look at himself in the mirror and say, ‘Do I really want to carry on playing international cricket? If he says, ‘I do’, then he keeps on playing for me.
It’s just whether the ups and downs have taken that effect. I think Jos deserves the right to think, ‘Have I got one more cycle in me to get through to another tournament?,” Harmison said on TalkSport.
“Only Jos can answer that, and he should be allowed to do that. But I just look at Jos, and I’m not sure he’s enjoying playing cricket for England at the moment,” he added.
Harmison also suggested that if the passion for the game is fading, Buttler may need to consider stepping aside and allowing the next generation to take over.
“If the candle is just flickering, and it’s not quite there, which doesn’t seem to have been an enjoyment factor for the last year or so, then maybe it is time for Jos to say, ‘I’ve given my time, given everything for England, I’ve been England’s best white-ball player, and it’s now time for someone else to take over,” said Harmison.
Despite the recent struggles, Buttler remains one of England’s most decorated white-ball players. He played a crucial role in England’s triumphs at the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The wicketkeeper-batter is also England’s most capped player across formats with 411 international appearances and is the nation’s highest run-scorer in T20 internationals with 4,037 runs. It remains to be seen whether he chooses to continue his career with an eye on the 2027 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs ENG Live Score updates, including the full schedule, teams, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.
