Phil Salt opts out of T20I series vs West Indies; Jamie Smith to replace
Phil Salt will miss the T20 series against West Indies as the opener requested paternity leave. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) accepted his request and announced Jamie Smith as his replacement. The youngster played only two T20Is.
England opener Phil Salt will miss the three-match T20I series versus West Indies, starting Friday, June 6. After the Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, Salt went back to England for the birth of his child. He returned to Ahmedabad on the day of the final (June 3) to help RCB lift their maiden title in the cash-rich league.
Salt now requested the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for paternity leave for the upcoming West Indies series. The officials accepted his request and announced Jamie Smith as his replacement.
“England and Lancashire batter Phil Salt has been granted permission to withdraw from the England Men’s IT20 squad for the upcoming three-match Vitality Series against the West Indies. Salt, who is taking time away on paternity leave following the birth of his child earlier this week, will now spend time at home. He has been replaced in the squad by Surrey batter Jamie Smith,” the ECB confirmed via an official statement.
Meanwhile, Smith has played two T20Is, scoring 28 runs at a strike rate of 175. He was recently promoted in ODI cricket, where he opened alongside Ben Duckett, and scored 64 runs off 28 balls in the third ODI at The Oval. It remains to be seen whether the management will play Smith in the top order in T20Is as well. Else, Jos Buttler could be seen opening the innings with Duckett. The keeper-batter featured at number three while playing for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025.
England squad for T20I series vs West Indies - Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Potts (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Luke Wood (Lancashire)