Jos Buttler ‘more motivated than ever’ after successful hamstring surgery

England batter Jos Buttler (left) receives medical treatment during the second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley in Leeds, England, on September 24, 2026. — AFPLONDON: England’s white-ball batter Jos Buttler has undergone surgery on his left hamstring after sustaining an injury during the team’s ODI series against Sri Lanka last month, declaring himself “more motivated than ever” to regain full fitness.

The 36-year-old sustained the injury during England’s defeat to Sri Lanka in the second ODI at Headingley on 24 September. Buttler initially retired hurt before briefly returning to the crease to resume his innings.

The injury has already ruled him out of England’s upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan, with the squad scheduled to depart later this week. He is also expected to miss England’s white-ball tour of Australia in November, with the squad for the tour due to be announced on Tuesday.

No official recovery timeline has been provided, leaving Buttler’s participation in the SA20 uncertain. He had been scheduled to represent Durban’s Super Giants in the tournament, which is set to begin on 17 January.

Buttler confirmed his surgery in an Instagram post on Monday, sharing a photograph of himself giving a thumbs-up from a hospital bed with his left leg in a brace.

“Successful surgery and on the road to recovery,” he wrote. “Feeling more motivated than ever!”

The injury has brought an abrupt end to an impressive season for England’s former white-ball captain, who has won two World Cups with the national side.

After struggling for form during the T20 World Cup in India earlier this year, where he scored 87 runs as England reached the semi-finals, Buttler enjoyed a strong run in subsequent white-ball internationals.

He accumulated 466 runs across nine matches, including an explosive 69 off 49 deliveries, featuring five sixes, before his innings was cut short by the hamstring injury.

Buttler also captained Manchester Super Giants to victory in The Hundred, becoming the first player to reach 15,000 career runs in T20 cricket during the campaign.

However, his latest setback raises concerns given his history of soft-tissue injuries in recent years. While calf problems have accounted for most of his previous fitness issues, he also suffered a similar left-hamstring injury during the 2024 Indian Premier League season.

Meanwhile, Buttler and fellow England white-ball stalwart Adil Rashid were handed one-year contract extensions by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday. Their current deals are due to expire before the start of next year’s 50-over World Cup in South Africa.

England men’s managing director Rob Key, however, expressed confidence that both players would feature in the tournament, suggesting that the contract arrangements were largely a matter of timing.

“We don’t see it that Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid aren’t going to be a part of that World Cup,” Key said.

“We have them very much factored in. If they weren’t a part of it, we wouldn’t have been playing them since then. They’re both desperate to play for England. It’s the way the system works as much as anything else. There’ll be decisions to be made next year,” he added.