His leadership credentials and recent success in franchise cricket make him an intriguing option.
Sam Billings has thrown his hat into the ring for England’s white-ball captaincy, saying he would “jump at an opportunity” to take over from Jos Buttler after the latter stepped down from the role following the early exit in Champions Trophy 2025. While Test captain and former CSK star Ben Stokes and white-ball vice-captain Harry Brook are among the leading contenders, Billings’ leadership credentials and recent success in franchise cricket make him an intriguing option.
The 33-year-old, who last played for England in 2022, has an impressive track record as captain. He led Oval Invincibles to back-to-back titles in The Hundred and recently guided Dubai Capitals to victory in the ILT20 in the UAE. His experience in handling high-pressure situations and shaping winning teams could work in his favour.
“I’ve not had a conversation with anyone, but from a leadership point of view I’ve loved the time over the past few years where I’ve had some really good success,” Billings told BBC Sport.
Billings, like Stokes and Sam Curran, has a connection with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While Stokes was part of CSK’s squad in 2023 and Curran rejoined them in 2025, Billings played for the franchise in 2018 and 2019. With England searching for a new leader in limited-overs cricket after their Champions Trophy disaster, another former CSK star is making his case.
Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, has not ruled out selecting a captain from outside the current squad. “Nothing is off the table,” Key said, emphasising that England would assess “every single option.”
Though Stokes seems the obvious choice given his leadership of the Test team, his fitness remains a concern. The all-rounder has undergone knee and hamstring surgeries and has not played white-ball cricket for England in 18 months. If he takes on the role, his workload would have to be carefully managed with a demanding Test summer against India and an Ashes tour ahead.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Ben Stokes,” Billings said. “There’s no better man in terms of captaincy and as an all-round cricketer. But his priority is the Ashes and the five-Test series against India.”
Curran, another potential candidate, has also been out of England’s white-ball setup recently but remains a valuable all-rounder. His return to CSK at the IPL 2025 auction proves that he is still highly regarded in franchise cricket. However, his lack of recent international experience might count against him in the captaincy race.
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For Billings, still only 33, the England white-ball rebuild presents an opportunity for players trying to force their way back into the side. “The talent in domestic cricket in this country is always there, certainly in white-ball cricket. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. It will just be a tweak here or there, picking a really nice, balanced side.”
While Stokes and Brook remain front-runners, and Curran an outside bet, Billings has added his name to the mix. With England at a crossroads in limited-overs cricket, his leadership experience and hunger for a comeback might just give him an edge in this unexpected captaincy battle.
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