Buttler to join with England but will not keep wicket in West Indies
England white-ball captain Jos Buttler has linked up with the national team ahead of their remaining matches against the West Indies.
The 34-year-old is mooted for a return to the one-day side for the decider against the hosts but will more than likely feature in the T20 series.
But the captain, who has not fully played since the T20 World Cup in June, will not take the wicketkeeping gloves for the 20-over-a-side matches.
He has missed The Hundred and series against Australia and the West Indies and will be replaced behind the stumps by Phil Salt.
“Maybe it will get a little bit more out of him [Buttler] at mid-off having an opportunity to chat to the bowlers,” Salt said.
“The only thing that keeping takes away from you is the advantage of being there with the bowlers at the top of their marks all the time.
“Sometimes you can can get stuck in a bit of a position where the only times you’re running up to a bowler is when things aren’t going to plan and you’re running up to reaffirm positive things.”
Test head coach Brendon McCullum will assume duties for both the one-day and T20 sides from 1 January and while he has backed Buttler’s continued inclusion in the side thus far it remains to be seen whether the New Zealander will back the white-ball captain as they head into a new era.