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Louise Thomas

Editor

Jos Buttler has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf injury, placing fresh doubts over his availability for the start of England’s T20 series against Australia next week.

England’s white-ball captain missed the entirety of The Hundred because of a calf concern he sustained in July but had pencilled in a return to action for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast this week.

However, Red Rose head coach Dale Benkenstein revealed Buttler will miss Wednesday’s quarter-final trip to Sussex and is in a race against time to be fit for the first T20 against Australia on September 11.

“We’ve had some bad news on his recovery,” Benkenstein said on BBC Radio Lancashire. “He’s had an injury that he was recovering from and he’s tweaked it again.

“He’s not only out of our T20 but I think he’s struggling to even make the international ones.

“He was very keen to play for us. Jos was in contact with us to get ready for that quarter-final but he won’t be with us.”

England are understood to be relaxed about the situation and anticipate Buttler to be ready to lead a revamped squad for the entirety of Australia’s limited-overs tour, consisting of three T20s followed by five ODIs this month.

His chances are likely improved by the assumption he will give up one of his key duties in the T20s, with Phil Salt expected to keep wicket as Buttler fields closer to his bowlers to relay any advice.

Buttler has not featured in any competitive cricket since England’s defeat by India in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup on June 27 but he was given Rob Key’s backing to continue as skipper.

Head coach Matthew Mott was sacked after two underwhelming World Cups, with Marcus Trescothick put in interim charge for Australia’s visit, while long-serving pair Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali were dropped and uncapped trio Josh Hull, Jacob Bethell and John Turner drafted in amid a shake-up of the side.

PA

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