Jos Buttler resigned as England white-ball captain on Friday after his team made an early exit from the Champions Trophy with back-to-back defeats against Australia and Afghanistan.

“It’s the right decision for me and the right decision for the team," Buttler said. "Hopefully somebody else who can come in alongside Baz (coach Brendon McCullum) will take the team to where it needs to be.”

England lost two high-scoring games in Lahore and conceded the tournament’s highest-ever chase of 352 against Australia.

Buttler said he would lead England for the final time against South Africa in the last group match at Karachi.

England had a disastrous preparation for the Champions Trophy when it won only one of its eight white-ball matches against India before arriving in Pakistan.

“The overriding emotions are still sadness and disappointment,” Buttler said while expressing his willingness to continue representing England as a player.

“I’m sure, in time, that (disappointment) will pass and I can get back to really enjoying my cricket, and (will) also be able to reflect on what an immense honour it is to captain your country and all the special things that come with it.”

Buttler replaced Eoin Morgan as England’s white-ball captain in 2022 and only months later won the T20 World Cup in Australia.

However, there was a sharp decline in England’s white-ball cricket with three unimpressive runs at the 2023 World Cup in India, 2024 T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies and now the Champions Trophy. (AP)