By Simon Wilkes
Harry Brook is looking forward to playing with “the best white-ball batter in the world” when he captains England and Jos Buttler in Thursday’s first one-day international with the West Indies.
Buttler relinquished the captain’s role after England lost their 50-over and 20-over World Cup titles before losing to Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa in this year’s Champions Trophy.
Yorkshire batter Brook has now taken on captaincy duties for the ODI side, but Buttler is still in the team as a wicketkeeper-batsman.
Edge of glory
Having secured a comfortable red-ball victory in the recent one-off Test with Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, England begin their white-ball summer when they take on the Windies in the first of three ODIs at Edgbaston.
And Brook can’t wait to unleash Buttler, who was in scintillating form at the IPL.
Brook told a press conference ahead of Thursday’s game in Birmingham: “I know [Jos’] recent results as captain weren’t great, but he still won the [2022 T20 World Cup in Australia] and to say that is mega. It will be amazing to have him still around.
“His batting is back to being the best in the world; he has been banging it in the IPL.
“When he is at his best, he is the best white-ball batter in the world, in my opinion.”
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A new era
Brook hopes to bring energy and enthusiasm to the role of captain, having been handed the responsibility by head coach Brendon McCullum.
He captained last summer’s 3-2 ODI series defeat to Australia on home soil while Buttler was injured and also has experience in leading the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
Brook added on Sky Sports: “It’s a new era and hopefully we can bring a lot of energy, competitiveness, and a lot of fun out there.
“We want to engage the crowd as much as we can when we are out there and try to get some wins under our belt.
“I know lads have sometimes said that we don’t care about winning but that’s not true. Everybody hates losing.
“As a batter, I will try and be the positive, attacking self I usually am. That is part of the ethos Baz and I are bringing. We want to put bowlers’ best balls under pressure.”
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Twenty20 vision
England and West Indies will play two subsequent ODIs in Cardiff on Sunday, June 1 and at the Kia Oval on Tuesday, June 3.
They will then play three T20 games in Durham (June 6), Bristol (June 8), and Southampton (June 10).
England XI to face West Indies in first ODI
Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Joe Root, Harry Brook (captain), Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid.
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Bobbie Ysabelle Matias 
Adam Peaker 
Angelica N. Hall