England’s white-ball cricket is in mud (be it) for its performances in the One-Dayers and lack of leadership options. Since their Champions Trophy 2025 exit, having lost all three group stage matches, regular captain Jos Buttler stood down from the position. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has picked Buttler’s replacement, naming the emerging all-format batter Harry Brook to succeed him as the next captain.

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Brook is an obvious choice to replace Buttler, having previously led the international side against Australia late last summer. Hussain, however, also discussed the possibility of ECB bringing back ousted names like James Vince and Sam Billings, making them lead the white-ball units before putting the entire onus on Brook.  

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"Harry Brook is the obvious candidate to take over. He did it at the end of the summer against Australia," Hussain said of Brook, who leads the race to replace Buttler as England’s white-ball captain.

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"He's the obvious one with the amount of important cricket coming up for England. Do you want to put that pressure on a young man who's got an India series at home, an Ashes away and then a World Cup T20 in India and Sri Lanka? Or do you go to a stopgap, James Vince, Sam Billings, Lewis Gregory, seasoned, domestic, franchise captains to just do it for a while?” he continued.

Hussain feels England must look forward and bring someone like Brook, who is talented and energetic and has shown glimpses of turning into a beast leader, which England’s white-ball side needs. 

"I think personally England don't look back, they look forward. If they think Brook is the next captain, they go to him as soon as possible so he can start learning about being captain. But obviously, the caveat is then there will be a lot on his plate,” he added. 

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‘It’s the best job in the world until…’

Hussain, who had led England for four years (in Tests) from 1999 to 2003, thinks with no captaincy burden, Buttler can return to his (attacking) best. 

"It's always very sad when an England captain has to feel like he has to stand down, and he was incredibly emotional walking out," Hussain said.

"It's the best job in the world until you have to give it away, and for one more day, he's England's white-ball captain, and the next day he's not. I can tell you that really hurts you. It's the best job in cricket.

"It's the right thing to do. His own form has diminished since he's been captain, especially in the last couple of years. He's England's best white-ball player, and the captaincy is not that good that it balances off the runs he should be getting,” he concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)