England batter Jos Buttler has insisted he will not rush his return from left hamstring surgery and acknowledged he may not pull on an England shirt in an international fixture until September 2027, just one month before the 50-over World Cup opens across South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Buttler tore his left hamstring while batting in England's second ODI against Sri Lanka at Headingley on September 24, 2026, shortly after his 36th birthday. He had struck 69 from 49 deliveries, hitting five sixes, before the injury cut short his innings. The damage is understood to be at least a grade-three tear in severity, and he went under the knife on October 12, 2026.

He has since confirmed that his rehabilitation will last at least 12 weeks, ruling him out of England's three ODIs in South Africa in January, which he believes will come too soon. Instead, he is targeting a return to action during the SA20.

When could Buttler return to competitive cricket?

Beyond the SA20, Buttler is set to take part in his 12th consecutive IPL season with Gujarat Titans, with the franchise widely expected to confirm his retention ahead of the November 15, 2026 deadline. The ECB's arrangement with the BCCI means England players will be available throughout the entire IPL campaign, which could extend to the end of May 2027.

That agreement, however, creates a scheduling complication. Buttler's IPL commitments may prevent him from featuring in England's five-match ODI series against Pakistan, which runs from May 15 to 26, 2027. He previously suffered a left hamstring problem during the 2024 IPL season, making this latest setback a recurrence of a familiar issue. His central contract with England runs through to September 30, 2027.

What does Buttler's absence mean for England's 2027 schedule?

England's white-ball programme through the middle of 2027 is heavily congested. The Ashes and The Hundred dominate the mid-summer window, leaving limited space for Buttler to ease back into international cricket even if his physical recovery proceeds smoothly.

There remains some uncertainty over whether the BCCI will bring the IPL's window slightly forward in 2027, but the ECB has confirmed it will allow England players to stay in India and honour their franchise commitments rather than recalling them early.

As a consequence of this stop-start schedule, there is a real possibility that Buttler will not feature for England until the side take on New Zealand in three T20Is and five ODIs in September 2027, a series that would arrive just one month before the start of the 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.