Jos Buttler And…? 3 England Players Who Might Play Their Last Champions Trophy

Aashay Chopade

Jos Buttler in press-conference (Source: AP Photos)Jos Buttler in press-conference (Source: AP Photos)

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The 2015 World Cup was a rude shock for England cricket, and it was followed by some bold changes which led to a revolution in white-ball cricket. They won the 2019 World Cup and then won the T20 World Cup in 2022 as well, but are yet to win a Champions Trophy which was last held in 2017.

England with their new approach, now have a second shot at a trophy and it could be the last for some of their superstars. The next edition of Champions Trophy is in 2029, and it would be interesting and England fans would be hoping that their big stars get their hands on Champions Trophy as well.

So, here are three England players who might play their last Champions Trophy in the upcoming 2025 edition.

1. Jos Buttler

The right-handed batter is one of the finest white-ball cricketers in the world. He has played a big role in England's success in the last decade or so. In T20Is, the superstar is a gun top-order batter, while in the ODI format, he has played the role of a finisher to perfection. 

He has an average of close to 40 in the 50-over format with a stunning strike rate of 117.11. He has 11 hundreds as well, but is now 34-year-old and with the next Champions Trophy edition, four years away, it is hard to see Buttler featuring in it. Also, the fact that ECB is known to take bold steps and not shy away from leaving out their big players, puts Buttler's availability in the ODI format till 2029 in doubt.

Also, lot of young cricketers showing their value in white-ball formats, and there are bound to push for a spot in the squad. So, unless Buttler shows insane consistency in ODIs, there are very less chances that he would make it to the 2029 Champions Trophy.

2. Mark Wood

Mark Wood is one of the quickest bowlers in world cricket who can consistently bowl at 150 KPH. He is a rare asset, but he is also an injury-prone cricketer and expecting a fast bowler who is already 35 years old to play four more years is quite a big ask.

Already, England are playing Mark Wood in selective series and tournaments to keep him as fresh as possible and it is possible that he will leave ODIs after Champions Trophy 2025 to prolong his career in the other formats. Also, despite starting his ODI career starting in 2015, the man has played just 66 ODIs so far, and last played an international 50-over game in 2023 World Cup. Thus, age factor and his injury-prone body makes his participation in the 2029 Champions Trophy highly unlikely.

3. Adil Rashid

The leg-spinner has been England's frontline tweaker for a long time now. He has delivered in variety of conditions and has played a big role in England's resurgence after the 2015 World Cup. However, age is not on his side now as he is 36-year-old, and England are already grooming Rehan Ahmed as his replacement. 

If Rashid and England does well in 2025 Champions Trophy, he might prolong his ODI career till 2027. However, is almost impossible to see him playing ODI cricket till the age of 40, and so Champions Trophy 2025 is likely to be the last for the spinner with over 200 ODI wickets.