Harry Brook is set to lead England for the first time in the upcoming five-match ODI series against Australia. The young cricketer steps in as captain after Jos Buttler was ruled out for the rest of the summer due to a calf injury sustained in July. Buttler's absence has also opened the door for Liam Livingstone, who returns to the 50-over side after initially being left out.

Brook has long been groomed for leadership within England’s cricket ranks. He captained the Under-19 World Cup team in 2018, led Yorkshire in the T20 Blast in 2022, and most recently served as vice-captain to Ollie Pope during England’s 2-1 Test series win over Sri Lanka. Brook’s leadership was further solidified when he captained Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, guiding his team to five wins out of six matches.

While Buttler recovers from his injury, Brook will have the opportunity to showcase his captaincy skills in a high-stakes series. Buttler expressed his confidence in Brook’s ability to lead, noting that Brook has a calm and thoughtful approach to the game. “He is a really good thinker... I’m sure he’ll do it in his own way,” Buttler remarked.

Buttler’s injury is a concern for England, as it continues a troubling trend of calf issues for the wicketkeeper-batsman. He has been sidelined since England’s elimination from the T20 World Cup in June and missed several matches due to similar injuries in the past. Despite these setbacks, Buttler remains optimistic about his recovery and is targeting a return for England’s November tour of the Caribbean.

In addition to Brook’s captaincy, Liam Livingstone’s return to the squad is another major development. Livingstone’s recent performances in the T20I series have been impressive, taking five wickets and scoring 87 off 47 balls in Friday’s victory in Cardiff.

As England prepares for the ODI series against Australia, the squad has undergone a few changes. Josh Hull will sit out of the series due to a minor quad injury, but his availability for October’s Test tour to Pakistan remains unaffected.

The ODI series against Australia kicks off at Trent Bridge on Thursday and runs until September 29.

England ODI Squad:
Harry Brook (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, John Turner.