Phil Salt will take on the wicketkeeping duties for England in their upcoming T20I series against the West Indies, despite the return of regular captain Jos Buttler to the team. Salt, who has kept wickets for England in a number of limited-overs matches, will don the gloves for the five-match T20 series starting this Saturday, with Buttler opting to focus on his leadership role after recovering from a calf injury.
The decision to hand Salt the gloves, despite Buttler’s availability, is seen as an opportunity to explore different roles within the team and also to give Buttler a break from keeping, which he has done in 106 of his last 108 T20I appearances. Buttler, who arrived in the Caribbean earlier this week, will captain the side but will not keep wicket, leaving Salt to continue his work behind the stumps.
“I enjoy keeping. I feel like that’s where I offer most to the side,” Salt said ahead of the third ODI against the West Indies. “It’s not something I’ve done a lot for England recently, but I’m happy to be doing it again.”
Salt, who has kept wickets in 13 of his 59 appearances for England, has been in solid form with the bat in the current ODI series, scoring 18 and 59 in the first two games. His half-century in the second ODI in Antigua was crucial in helping England chase down a target of 329, leveling the series at 1-1. The innings marked his first ODI half-century in over a year and was particularly significant as it was the first time he had batted beyond the tenth over in his last ten one-day internationals.
Also read: Jos Buttler to Miss ODI Series in Caribbean Due to Calf Injury Setback
“I know I could have got more runs. It’s about finding the balance between aggressive cricket and building innings. I need to drop my strike rate and pump my average,” Salt added, reflecting on his desire to extend his partnerships and play longer innings in the 50-over format.
Despite Salt’s promising form in T20 cricket, his recent ODI returns have been less consistent. In his last 10 ODI matches, he has averaged just 24.30, with only one half-century. A tendency to be dismissed early in the powerplay has hampered his output, with his innings in Antigua representing a rare occasion when he managed to bat deep into the match.
“It’s about adapting to the tempo of 50-over cricket,” Salt explained. “I think a domestic 50-over competition would be really useful to help players like me get into a rhythm, but we just have to make the best of what we’ve got.”
As for the future, Salt was cautious about any long-term decisions regarding his role behind the stumps. “We’ve not had that chat about anything going forward. I’m just glad to be doing it at the moment,” he said.
Also read: Jos Buttler Returns as England Gears Up for the West Indies Tour
Buttler’s return to the squad will add extra firepower to England’s T20 setup, with the series against the West Indies offering a valuable opportunity for the team to build momentum ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup. Buttler, who has been sidelined with injury since the T20 World Cup semi-final in June, will aim to get back to his best after a period of recovery.
While Buttler’s leadership and wicketkeeping experience will remain a key part of England’s white-ball strategy, Salt’s role behind the stumps in the T20Is will be closely watched as he continues to develop his game in both the shorter and longer formats.
The T20 series between England and the West Indies begins this Saturday, and Salt will be hoping to continue his good form with the gloves, while Buttler prepares to lead the team back to success on the field.
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