The Hundred franchise Manchester Originals have been dealt a massive blow as skipper and leading run-scorer Jos Buttler has pulled out of the competition after suffering a calf strain. The England white ball skipper was in action when the injury occurred, taking a tumble whilst fielding against the Southern Brave.
It was later confirmed that the explosive right-hander would not be able to take further part in the competition after determining the extent of injury. The Lancashire batter played down the injury, even as he continued to field for the rest of the innings. He even joked about ‘getting older’ in a post-match interview with Sky Sports.
Under Buttler, the Originals are joint third in the novel tournament, with the skipper leading from the front, scoring 203 runs in five games. The World Cup winner missed his side’s win against the Northern Superchargers and it was later revealed that he would not be in action for the rest of the tournament, as the injury was worse than it was initially thought to be.
Laurie Evans will lead the Originals in Buttler’s absence, as he acknowledged that the captain’s exclusion will be a tricky situation to deal with. Head coach Simon Katich was also of a similar opinion but believed that the team had to look forward to doing well in the rest of the tournament.
“Obviously disappointed to lose Jos, not just for his batting but also his leadership,”
the Aussie former batsman said, per ESPNcricinfo.
Buttler’s availability for the seven-match Pakistan T20I series is not currently in doubt, as it is believed that he will be back for the series.
However, it is to be expected that the marauding opener’s fitness will be closely monitored and his playing time will be managed ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup to he held in Australia later this year, especially after he missed a sizeable chunk of the English summer in 2021.
