ENGLAND captain Jos Buttler was ruled out of the forthcoming T20 series against Australia today, with Phil Salt stepping up to lead the side.

A calf injury has kept Buttler on the sidelines since July and a recent setback – which saw him miss Lancashire’s Blast quarter-final – has extended his lay-off.

Salt, who deputised for Buttler at Manchester Originals in this season’s Hundred tournament, will lead his country for the first time at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday before games at Sophia Gardens and his home ground of Old Trafford.