England captain Jos Buttler gives key update on Ben Stokes' availability for World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh

Jos Buttler and Co. are gearing up for the crucial clash against Bangladesh on Tuesday, October 10 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. After getting thrashed by New Zealand in the opening game, it is imperative for the defending champions to get back to winning ways. On the other hand, the Tigers won their first match against Afghanistan by six wickets at the same venue where they are set to lock horns next. 

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The English team were handed an embarrassing nine-wicket defeat by the runners-up of the previous edition in Ahmedabad. One of the strongest batting units in the ongoing tournament, England managed to score only 282 runs in 50 overs. Apart from Joe Root, none of the batters were able to touch the 50-run mark. One of the major talking points after their defeat was the absence of all-rounder Ben Stokes. 

Stokes, who had previously announced his retirement from ODI cricket, took a U-turn ahead of the World Cup. The star all-rounder, however, suffered a niggle in his hip, keeping him out of their opening fixture. A decision not to take any chances with the 2019 World Cup final hero turned out to be a key factor in England's defeat. It was Harry Brook, who scored 25 off 16 balls, replaced Stokes in the playing XI. 

Meanwhile, captain Buttler provided a major update on Stokes' availability ahead of the second match against Bangladesh. He stated that Stokes is training in the nets but is unlikely to play in the upcoming match. "Yeah, probably unlikely (his participation). It's good to see him back in the nets and building back towards full fitness but probably unlikely for tomorrow," Buttler said. 

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It's not just Ben who is able to score runs: Buttler after England's humiliating defeat 

Although England's batting was below par against New Zealand, they set a new world record. All 11 of their players reached double-digit figures - the first instance in an ODI innings across 4,658 matches. However, when asked if England were over-reliant on Ben Stokes, their skipper said there are many other top players in the squad who can score big. 

"I think Ben's a top player but we've got many top players. I think everyone in the team got into double figures and we didn't have enough guys go on and make telling contributions. It's not just Ben who is able to score runs in our team. We've got brilliant players right throughout the squad," Buttler said.