Jos Buttler Ruled Out of ODI Decider After Historic

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of England's decisive third ODI against Sri Lanka with a left hamstring injury, casting a shadow over a week of remarkable personal achievement for the wicketkeeper-batter. The 36-year-old suffered the injury while running between the wickets after scoring a blistering 69 in the second ODI at Headingley on Thursday, September 24, a knock that also saw him become the first Englishman to pass 10,000 runs in combined white-ball cricket.

Injury Blow Disrupts World Cup Planning

Buttler's injury is a significant setback for England's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He was forced to retire hurt during his innings at Headingley, later returning only to be dismissed as England lost by 16 runs. Scans are scheduled for early next week to determine the full extent of the damage. In his absence, Jordan Cox is set to take the gloves for the series finale, while Dan Lawrence has been called up as squad cover after being withdrawn from a County Championship match where he had just scored his sixth century of the season.

A Landmark Week for England's White-Ball Great

Just days before his injury, Buttler etched his name deeper into English cricket history. During that same innings at Headingley, he crossed the threshold to become the first England player ever to aggregate 10,000 runs across ODIs and T20Is. His 49-ball 69 took his combined tally to 10,062 runs from 367 matches, a monumental feat that shows his longevity and destructive power at the top of the order.

This milestone capped a prolific period. Earlier in the month, during the opening T20I against Sri Lanka in Southampton on Tuesday, September 22, Buttler blasted 80 runs from 44 balls. That innings propelled him past India's Rohit Sharma to become the second-highest run-scorer in men's T20I history, with 4,384 runs. Only Virat Kohli now sits above him on that all-time list.

By the Numbers: Buttler's Dominant Record

The statistics from this period lay bare Buttler's extraordinary contribution. His recent form and career totals highlight why he is considered England's premier white-ball batter.

England's new white-ball mentor, Kevin Pietersen, suggested the injury could offer a silver lining by testing squad depth. "We need to have certain players ready to step up," Pietersen said, framing it as a chance to build resilience ahead of the next global tournament. The immediate concern, however, is the recovery timeline for their star player. Fans will be anxiously awaiting the scan results to see how long Buttler will be sidelined from the [squad](/squad).

• Key Takeaways:
• Jos Buttler is out of the third ODI vs Sri Lanka (Sep 26) with a left hamstring injury.
• He made history on Sep 24 by becoming the first England player to score 10,000 white-ball international runs.
• Days earlier, on Sep 22, he moved to second on the all-time T20I run-scoring list with 4,384 runs.
• Jordan Cox will keep wicket in the decider, with Dan Lawrence added to the squad as cover.