Sri Lanka enjoyed a profitable third day at The Oval, with the tourists in a strong position to win their final Test against England despite Jamie Smith's efforts.

The day started well for England. Dhananjaya de Silva (69) and Kamindu Mendis (64) had steered Sri Lanka into an excellent place at stumps on Saturday, though the duo did not last too long in Sunday's first session.

It took just 11 more overs for England to rattle through Sri Lanka's tail as they were bowled out for 263, 62 short of the hosts' first innings total.

Yet England were skittled out for 156 in the space of just 34 overs.

Dan Lawrence plundered 35 runs from as many balls, but he was the only player in England's top order to score more than 12, and it needed a flurry from wicketkeeper Smith to dig Brendan McCullum's team out of a real hole.

Smith smashed 67 from 50 deliveries, with his knock including 10 fours and one six, before he picked out Kusal Mendis with the final ball of the second session.

Lahiru Kumara (4-12) was the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers, and he sent Olly Stone packing after tea, prior to Shoaib Bashir succumbing after debutant Josh Hull struck a huge six.

Chasing 219 to win, Sri Lanka's openers swiftly set about the pace, and though Dimuth Karunaratne was caught and bowled by Chris Woakes, Pathum Nissanka (53 not out) and Kusal Mendis (30) ensured the tourists will go into day four requiring just 125.

Data Debrief: England's Oval record on the rocks and Root is forced to wait

Sri Lanka are on the brink of just their fourth Test win in England, having previously won at Headingley, Trent Bride and The Oval, where England have won five of their last six five-day matches, only going down to India in 2021 in that run.

That record looks shaky, while Joe Root, having only managed 12 runs to add to his 13 from the first innings, will not be able to reach 1,000 overall in Tests in 2024 on home soil. 

He is now on 986, but will have to wait until at least October, for England's Tour of Pakistan, to equal Alastair Cook as the English player to have hit 1,000 runs in a calendar year on the most occasions (five), after previously doing so in 2022, 2021, 2016 and 2015.

England's Moeen Ali has confirmed his international retirement.

Moeen played across all formats for England over the past decade, and was part of the squads that won the 50-over World Cup in 2019 and T20 World Cup two years ago.

Having come out of Test retirement to feature for England against Australia in 2023, Mooen has now confirmed his retirement from international cricket altogether.

"I could hold on and try to play for England again, but I know in reality I won't," Moeen said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"Even retiring, I don't feel it's because I'm not good enough – I still feel I can play.

"But I get how things are, and the team needs to evolve into another cycle. It's about being real to myself.

"I've played a lot of cricket for England. It's time for the next generation.

"It felt [like] the time was right to move on. I've done my part."

He bows out having played 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is.

Moeen made five Test centuries, taking 204 wickets in the longest format.

The off-spinner made three tons and took 111 wickets in ODIs, while clinching 51 wickets in T20Is.

Declan Rice "was never going to celebrate" after scoring against the Republic of Ireland in England's 2-0 Nations League victory.

The midfielder was met by a hostile crowd in Dublin having previously represented Ireland before changing allegiance to England.

But Rice had the last laugh, lashing home in the 11th minute before teeing up Jack Grealish, who previously represented Ireland at youth level, to seal a comfortable win for Lee Carsley's side.

It marked his fourth goal for the Three Lions but Rice did not feel the need for celebrations.

"Obviously, it was an amazing feeling to score, but I was never going to celebrate. I have Irish family, my nan and grandad, who are not here anymore and I think it would have been disrespectful to them if I celebrated," he told beIN Sports.

"It happened six, seven years ago so it’s such a long time ago now. I get on really well with a lot of the Irish boys so there’s nothing hard done by, by me. Obviously, the fans feel a certain way, and that’s absolutely fine.

"I just wanted to focus and get my head back in the game to score more goals."

The last time Rice had played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin was six years and 97 days prior to Saturday's match. On that occasion, he represented Ireland against the USA in June 2018.

Now in the white shirt of England, Rice helped interim manager Carsley to a debut win in Dublin after the resignation of Gareth Southgate following Euro 2024.

"It's been refreshing this week to play with [Carsley] and play with his staff. We're playing in a different way to what we were before," reflected Rice.

"It's going to take a bit of time for us to be amazing at what we do, but a lot of the players that play at [Manchester] City, Liverpool, Arsenal, we play a similar way, so it's easy to adapt.

"It was really good, it was really refreshing. I'm feeling much fitter in myself which is a real positive. It was a really good result in the end."

While Rice now represents a relative stalwart of the England squad with 59 caps, former England Under-21s manager Carsley, himself an ex-Ireland international, handed debuts to Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes, while he also played Anthony Gordon and Levi Colwill from the start.

"We've obviously been really close now in back-to-back Euros, at a World Cup, so the next thing for England is to win," said Rice.

"We need to strive and keep building towards that. It’s a different group this time, more younger players, but I'm sure we’ll be better for it. Going forward, it's going to be really positive, and it's going to be a fresh start."

Lee Carsley insisted his England players "have to take all of the credit" after winning his debut match as England manager.

Interim boss Carsley oversaw a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their Nations League fixture at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

It marked the first time Ireland have lost a home match against England since May 1964.

The former England Under-21s manager, however, was keen to credit his players after first-half goals from Jack Grealish and Declan Rice saw England over the line.

"The lads have to take a lot of credit, all of the credit. I think we've showed we've got some real talent and we can be really pleased with the clean sheet as well," he told ITV.

"I thought it was good in parts. You've seen some of the things we've tried to do."

Carsley, who represented Ireland as a player, was vindicated in recalling Grealish after his omission from the Euros squad in the summer as the Manchester City playmaker doubled the lead in the 26th minute.

"I thought they [Rice and Grealish] took their goals really well. Really well-worked moves and brilliant finishes. I think, moving forward, they can both add a lot more goals to their game," he said.

"Jack definitely doesn't have anything to prove to us, we can see his quality, but today will have done him the world of good, getting another goal for England and hopefully he can continue that form."

The new England manager also opted to start Anthony Gordon on the left wing after the Newcastle United winger had struggled for minutes on the pitch under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.

"On a really dry sticky pitch, it's not ideal for dribblers but I thought Anthony was a real threat. He's carried on his form from last season and he looks a really dangerous player," enthused Carsley of Gordon, who got all three of his shots on target and played two key passes.

The manager played his part in ending Ireland's four-game unbeaten run against the Three Lions on home soil (W1 D3), though England could have made their dominance pay more.

"I think you've got to give Ireland credit as well, they are very resilient, they closed the gaps and our space maybe became a bit wider [in the second half]," reflected Carsley.

"We found it a little bit more difficult to get through them but at 2-0 we were quite comfortable."

Olly Stone denied complacency played a part in England's performance on day two of their final Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval.

England were bowled out for 325 after 69 overs, as Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis helped the tourists reach 211-5 at stumps. 

Stone was the pick of the hosts' bowling attack, taking the wickets of Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal while also running out Dimuth Karunaratne. 

De Silva, however, was crucially dropped by debutant Josh Hull, as he ended the day on 64 runs from 106 deliveries alongside Mendis (54). 

And while England handed Sri Lanka a potential route back into the final Test, Stone was confident that on another day, they could have been out of sight.

"I wouldn't say we were complacent. We've always said about taking the positive option, sometimes you can sit there and take a few blows," Stone said.

"If you put a few chances away it can come out differently. On another day it goes another way, and we get a few on the board."

As it had done on the first day, bad light was a constant threat, resulting in fast bowler Chris Woakes delivering four balls of off-spin.

England had started brightly with the ball in hand, working through Sri Lanka's top order before being stopped in their tracks by De Silva and Mendis. 

But the bad light inside The Oval played its part, with the tourists able to chip away at their target after tea.

Stone acknowledged the difficulty of the conditions but had words of praise for Hull after taking his first wicket on his debut. 

"It was too dark for our seamers but we tried to take the positive option. We thought we could take wickets with our spinners," Stone said.

"We feel we have the bowlers in any conditions but Sri Lanka played well.

"Hull has been brilliant. He hasn't looked nervous - he has been smiley, he has enjoyed it.

"I know he will be better for taking that wicket and hopefully he can take more in the morning.

"There is no greater job in the world. Going out there with a smile on our face, enjoying it.

"It doesn't feel like international cricket, you are nice and relaxed and out there with your mates."

Jack Grealish returned to the scoresheet for England after ‘the worst summer of his life’ saw him miss out on a place in the Three Lions' Euro 2024 squad.

Grealish netted the second goal in England's 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their Nations League clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

It was just his third-ever goal for the England senior team and his first as a starter.

The Manchester City attacker was selected to start by interim head coach Lee Carsley in his first match at the helm, after falling out of favour towards the end of Gareth Southgate's time in charge.

"Over the summer, it was one of the worst summers of my life because you can't not see everything that is happening in front of you,” he told ITV after the match.

“It was difficult but it's given me something to bounce back."

Grealish delivered a display fitting of a player with something to prove.

While he was on the pitch, no England player won more fouls (4) or created more chances (2) than the 28-year-old.

"I need to start playing regularly, scoring goals, and that's what I did today. I'm still not 100% fit but I'm getting there so from a personal point of view I'm happy,” he added.

"Going to the fans at the end and hearing them sing my name, listen there's no better feeling than playing for England.

Everyone will say the same thing, especially in games like this when you know the whole nation is going to be watching.”

Declan Rice opened the scoring for England in the 11th minute before assisting Grealish to double the lead 15 minutes later.

Both players had previously represented their opponents, and faced a tough reception in Dublin.

"It was what me and Declan expected. We have nothing bad to say, we both enjoyed our time [playing for Ireland]," Grealish said. 

"I certainly did and I have a lot of Irish in my family, so there's no bad blood whatsoever from my side," said Grealish.

The victory marks the first time England have won consecutive meetings with the Republic of Ireland since March 1985.

The Three Lions were winless in seven against them between these two runs (D5 L2).

Lee Carsley made a winning start to his England tenure with a comfortable 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League, helped by two players who previously represented the hosts.

Both goals came in the first half on Saturday, with Declan Rice's powerful finish followed up by Jack Grealish's sweeping effort to hand England their first win in Dublin in over 60 years.

Jayson Molumby's early chance offered the visitors a warning, but Harry Kane headed over as Carsley's team swiftly took control.

The England captain, now one shy of his 100th Three Lions cap, was denied by Caoimhin Kelleher moments later inside the box after a fast break from an Ireland free-kick. 

But England had the lead after 11 minutes. Having made three senior appearances for Ireland, Rice pledged his international future to the Three Lions in 2019, and it was the Arsenal midfielder who opened the scoring with an emphatic finish into the roof of the net.

Rice turned provider for another who switched their international allegiance, as Grealish rounded off a fine move to double England's advantage 15 minutes later.

Ireland improved after the interval, though rarely came close to truly testing Jordan Pickford.

Bukayo Saka went close to adding further gloss to an impressive display in added time, only to see his effort repelled by Kelleher with substitute Eberechi Eze firing over on the rebound. 

Data Debrief: Rice and Grealish haunt Ireland

In a game where all the focus was placed on former Ireland international Carsley, it would be two of the Republic's former hopes that stole the headlines in Dublin. 

Rice's goal at the Aviva Stadium came six years and 97 days after making his only previous appearance there for Ireland against the United States in June 2018.

He completed 88 of his 93 passes and ended with an accuracy rate of 94.6%, a total only bettered by Pickford (96.3%) of those that started the game.

Grealish, meanwhile, netted his third goal for England, and his first as a starter. While he was on the pitch, no England player won more fouls (four) or created more chances (two) than him.

Sri Lanka duo Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis frustrated England's bowling attack to ensure the tourists finished day two of the final Test on 211-5.

England resumed on 221-3 after bad light limited Friday's play, with Ollie Pope having reached his seventh Test century shortly before stumps.

The hosts enjoyed a major reprieve early in the morning session, with Harry Brook inexplicably dropped on 12 by Asitha Fernando after skewing Milan Rathnayake's ball horribly.

Brook's luck soon ran out as Kamindu took a stunning catch off his drive, but Pope was more fortunate to survive an lbw review after appearing to have been trapped for 139 by Vishwa Fernando's delivery.

Pope made it to 154 before being caught in the deep by Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka's second wicket in three balls, as they went on to make light work of the England tail. 

Olly Stone was the pick of England's bowlers, taking 2-28 after first running out Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne, while Chris Woakes dismissed Kusal Mendis before debutant Josh Hull took his first Test wicket, ending Pathum Nissanka's brilliant knock of 64, with Woakes taking a fantastic catch at cover.

Yet Hull dropped a gilt-edged chance to send Dhananjaya packing, and the Sri Lanka captain took full advantage, moving onto 64, with Kamindu on 54 at the other end, by the time bad light stopped play with the tourists trailing by 114.

Data Debrief: Kamindu England's bogeyman

Kamindu's tally has come from just 70 deliveries, at a strike rate of 77.14. He has scored 70+ in two of his last three Test innings against England, and he is well on course to make that three from four.

England stuttered in the field after an excellent start to defending their lead, though the hosts should still be confident. After all, they are undefeated in their last eight Tests at home (W7 D1).

Harry Kane is drawing inspiration from the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as he prepares to lead England into a new era.

Kane has captained England to two European Championship finals only to finish on the losing side on both occasions, versus Italy in a penalty shoot-out at Euro 2020 and against Spain earlier this year.

The Bayern Munich striker failed to hit top form at Euro 2024 in Germany and was substituted early in both the final and in a 2-1 semi-final victory over the Netherlands.

Kane scored twice from open play at the tournament – in a group-stage draw with Denmark and an extra-time victory over Slovakia in the last 16 – but was criticised for a series of lethargic displays. 

However, the 31-year-old remains committed to the Three Lions as they enter the post-Gareth Southgate era and hopes to continue representing his country for many more years.

"It's tough whenever you get so close to reaching one of the pinnacles of your career and it's taken away," Kane told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It makes me even more motivated. It puts the fire in the belly to try and get there. Our task is to get better.

"I think when you look at players like Ronaldo, [Luka] Modric and Messi, all these players who are playing in their mid to late 30s, that's the inspiration for me because it shows that you can really play at a high level for a long time.

"I want to play football for as long as possible and at the highest level for as long as possible. I use those players for motivation and inspiration to be able to do that.

"I feel I am in a really good place both mentally and physically to have another great season, hopefully that continues for many years to come."

England face the Republic of Ireland in their first game since Southgate's departure on Saturday, with former under-21 boss Lee Carsley in interim charge.

Kane admits it was strange to return to the Three Lions camp without their long-serving former boss, under whom he netted 61 goals, the most ever scored by any England player under a single manager. 

"It felt a little bit strange when we first came into camp," Kane said. "The boss has his own ideas and identity. 

"We did a lot of good things with Gareth but ultimately the new coach has fresh ideas. It's been good. There are a lot of young players excited to be here and express themselves."

Ben Duckett hailed Ollie Pope's resilience after the stand-in England captain shook off his poor form to hit his seventh Test century in the third Test versus Sri Lanka.

Bad light limited play on day one of the final test at The Oval on Friday, but Pope made good on the time allowed to smash 103 runs off as many deliveries.

Standing in to lead the team with Ben Stokes out injured, Pope had failed to make more than 17 runs in any of his first four innings in the series, being limited to single figures on three occasions.

Friday's ton, though, was his third in Tests this year, after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.

He is also the first batter in history to hit his first seven Test tons against seven different opponents, in Sri Lanka, West Indies, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.

Duckett, who himself fell short of his fourth red-ball century as he went for 86 runs off 79 balls, was delighted to see Pope quieten the doubters.

"Everyone is so happy for anyone's success in this dressing room, it's an incredible place to be," Duckett told Sky Sports.

"There was a lot of noise around Ollie. There shouldn't be but there has been and I know what it’s like at the top of the order and he's had a far better summer than I have.

"To block that out and score an incredible 100 was so good, you could see that from his emotions. We’re all extremely happy for him.

"People are paid to give their opinion, which is completely fair enough and I saw Pope say that last week.

"To go two games without a big score is not a long time and facing the new ball in England, I know how tricky it can be. For Pope to go out there and express himself at a ground that he loves, it's just credit to him."

Unbeaten on 103, Pope will return to the crease alongside Harry Brook (8) on Saturday, with England 221-3 as they chase a series whitewash.

Stand-in captain Ollie Pope put his recent woes behind him with a magnificent century as England cruised to 221-3 on day one of the third Test versus Sri Lanka at The Oval.

Pope had overseen back-to-back victories at Old Trafford and Lord's in Ben Stokes' absence but had struggled with his own form, failing to score more than 17 runs in any of his four innings in the series to date.

Things turned around for him on Friday, though, as he helped the hosts build a handsome lead with six wickets still in hand ahead of day two.

England were initially frustrated by bad light during the morning session, with a delay of almost three hours ensuing after Ben Duckett helped the hosts to 80-1 following the early loss of Dan Lawrence (5).

Duckett counted nine fours and two sixes among his 86 runs off 79 balls before he scooped Milan Rathnayake's slow delivery into the waiting hands of Dinesh Chandimal.

Joe Root then struggled to match Duckett's pace and he walked for 13 off 48 balls when he sliced Lahiru Kumara's delivery straight to Asitha Fernando in the deep.

However, Pope took the reins from there and put his poor recent form behind him with a speedy ton off 102 balls, with bad light stopping play for the final time immediately after he brought up three figures with a four, much to the frustration of the home fans.

Pope (102 not out) and Harry Brook (8 not out) will resume at the crease on Saturday, as England target a 3-0 series whitewash and a perfect Test summer.

Data Debrief: Pope's redemption

Figures of 6, 6, 17 and 1 through his four innings with the bat had somewhat sullied Pope's experience of captaining England in this series, but the stand-in skipper had a far more positive experience on Friday.

He put recent criticism of his performances to one side with an assured knock, hitting 13 fours and two maximums to ensure England made the most of limited play.

It is his seventh Test century overall, and his third of 2024 after knocks of 121 versus West Indies in July and 196 in India in January. Only eight England batters have accomplished that feat, and Pope is the first to do so since Gary Ballance in 2014.

England will play their first match without Gareth Southgate in the dugout when they take on the Republic of Ireland.

Southgate quit his post in the wake of England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 in July.

That ended a hugely successful eight-year stint for Southgate when it came to turning around the fortunes of the Three Lions, and restoring England's pride in the national team.

Yet for all the promise and potential, England could not get over the line when it truly mattered, falling short in two Euros finals, and a World Cup semi-final.

England had endured a miserable Nations League campaign before their exploits in Germany, and in hindsight, it showed that perhaps Southgate's magic was wearing off.

Now in League B, having been relegated from League A, England's first match after Southgate sees them face an old rival, as former Ireland international Lee Carsley aims to prove his credentials to the Football Association (FA).

Having won last year's Under-21 Euros, Carsley will surely be hoping he can follow in Southgate's footsteps in transferring from the youth set up to the senior side.

Here, using Opta data, we delve into the key talking points ahead of Saturday's clash in Dublin.

What's expected?

It's always hard to fully gauge what a team will look like under a new manager, especially in international football. 

That being said, while we do not quite know what Carsley's England will look like, we can be sure that they are the favourites for this one, with Opta's supercomputer handing them a 70.4% win probability.

Ireland, on the other hand, have been given just a 13.2% win likelihood, while the threat of a draw is 16.5%.

This is England's first game without Southgate in charge since a 1-0 win over Slovakia in September 2016 in Sam Allardyce's one and only game.

Including caretakers, only four managers have lost their first game in charge of the Three Lions: Alf Ramsey (2-5 vs France in 1963), Howard Wilkinson (0-2 vs France in 1999), Peter Taylor (0-1 vs Italy in 2000) and Stuart Pearce (2-3 vs Netherlands at the 2012 Olympics when coaching Team GB).

It is fair to say Carsley, who played 40 times for Ireland between 1997 and 2008, has history on his side. Will he continue those strong records?

New blood

Carsley, as expected, freshened up his squad with some new faces. Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White, Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke all made the cut.

Gomes, Gibbs-White and Madueke made 50 appearances combined for Carsley in the U21s, so it is not a huge surprise to see the trio given a shot, while Livramento has usurped Kieran Trippier, who has now retired from international football, at Newcastle United this season.

At last year's U21 Euros, Carsley's team scored 11 goals in six games, outperforming their 8.5 expected goals (xG) and, despite not dominating possession, averaging 56.4%, they scored the most build-up goals at the tournament (seven) - a build-up goal is an open play sequence that features 10+ passes and ends in a goal.

Given England performed so poorly, relative to the quality at their disposal, in attack at Euro 2024, perhaps Carsley's approach can help get the best out of that star-studded frontline, albeit Phil Foden, Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer have all withdrawn from the squad.

Indeed, England have scored just 13 goals in 11 games in 2024, having netted 26 in 10 games in 2023. Their 2024 average of 1.2 goals per game is their lowest in a year since 2000 (exactly one per game, 11 goals in 11 games), so Carsley has a relatively low bar to improve on.

What about the defence, though? Southgate was a pragmatic manager, and in fairness, England only allowed 7.3 xG against through their seven matches at Euro 2024.

However, they have shipped the opening goal in each of their last four matches, all in the knockout stages in Germany (W2 D1 L1). The Three Lions have not conceded the opener in five games in a row since between November 1953 and June 1954.

And going back to that U21 Euros, Carsley's side did not concede a single goal, albeit the xGA metric suggests they should have conceded at least seven.

While the fresh faces in England's squad will be looking to stake a claim, Jack Grealish has been handed a reprieve after missing out on Euro 2024. And, right at the top of the pitch, there is the experience and world-class finishing ability of Harry Kane, who is closing in on his 100th cap - should he play in Dublin, that will be appearance number 99 for his country.

Ireland's new era

It is not just Carsley that is making his bow in the dugout on Saturday. Heimir Hallgrimsson is Ireland's new boss, with the former Jamaica and Iceland coach having been appointed earlier in the summer.

Hallgrimsson has previous with England, of course. He was in joint charge of Iceland when they knocked Roy Hodgson's Three Lions out of Euro 2016.

The only manager to defeat England with two different nations is Bora Milutinovic, in 1985 with Mexico and in 1993 with the United States.

And what better way to start a new era than a big win over a big rival?

This is the first time Ireland will host England since a goalless draw in a friendly in June 2015. In a competitive match, it is the first time since a November 1990 European Championship qualifier, drawn 1-1 with Tony Cascarino cancelling out David Platt's opener for the Three Lions.

England also won their last meeting with Ireland in November 2020 – they have not won consecutive games against them since doing so with wins in 1980 and 1985.

Ireland last beat England in 1995, though the sides have only met each other three times since, with two draws and one win for England: that 3-0 triumph in 2020.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Republic of Ireland - Evan Ferguson

Ferguson could not quite get going last season after a bright start for Brighton, but he is still one of the Premier League's most exciting youngsters.

The striker is Ireland's big hope going forward and will be out to make his mark against one of the best teams in the world.

England - Harry Kane

Kane ranks 10th on the all-time list of England caps and has made 85 starts, playing 7,616 minutes, directly contributing to 83 goals (66 goals – an England record – and 17 assists). He averages 0.78 goals per 90, and 0.98 goal contributions per 90.

Indeed, Kane averages a goal every 115 minutes for his country, and he will surely be the key man for Carsley as the interim manager looks to capitalise on this audition.

Kyle Walker believes Lee Carsley made "the right call" leaving him out of England's party for their upcoming Nations League matches.

Carsley named his first England squad last week, with Walker one of the notable absences after being a pivotal figure under Gareth Southgate.

The right-back made 70 appearances under the previous manager, starting 64 of those, and featured in all seven of England's games at Euro 2024 as they reached the final.

However, since returning to Manchester City after an extended break, Walker has played just two minutes in the Premier League, coming off the bench in their 3-1 win over West Ham last weekend.

Walker admitted that while he was unhappy to be left out of the fold, he understood why he was not given a place.

"I'm disappointed," Walker said on his BBC podcast. "You have to accept it and just try to prove them wrong.

"With a new manager, you are always expecting a few changes. I'm disappointed because to represent your country is always the highest thing.

"But I haven't played any minutes this season, so you have to take it on the chin. I've not performed at any level since coming back from the [Euros], so I think it's the right call from him."

England start their Nations League campaign against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday before hosting Finland on Tuesday.

Brendon McCullum retains full confidence in Jos Buttler as England's white-ball captain, describing him as his country's best-ever limited-overs cricketer.

McCullum has won plenty of admirers for his aggressive approach to Test cricket in just over two years in charge of England's red-ball side, and earlier this week his remit was expanded to include coaching the ODI and T20I teams until 2027.

The move comes after Matthew Mott quit in the wake of England's semi-final exit at June's T20 World Cup, while they also surrendered their 50-over crown in meek fashion at the 2023 World Cup in India, losing six of their nine games.

While those disappointing tournament performances saw Buttler's leadership placed under the microscope, McCullum is confident he remains the right man to lead the team.

One of the New Zealander's main aims upon taking his new role, which he will formally start in January, is to get Buttler enjoying his cricket again.

"I am very confident in Buttler as captain," he said at a press conference at The Oval. "What I want from Jos is for him to enjoy the next few years.

"If he retired tomorrow, he would probably go down as the greatest white-ball player England have produced so there is a chance, for however long he plays, to not protect anything and play with a smile on his face. 

"My job is to push him towards that. He has been a little bit miserable at times, he is not naturally as expressive as some, but he has done a great job.

"He has won a World Cup as captain and been part of World Cup-winning teams previously. He is a gifted player and a fine leader."

Buttler has been ruled out of England's upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia with a calf injury and could also miss the five ODIs that follow. 

McCullum's ultra-attacking approach to Test cricket coaching has been dubbed "Bazball", with England winning 19 of 28 Tests under him and averaging 4.57 runs per over, compared to 3.09 in their 29 Tests immediately prior to his appointment.

He intends to bring a similar fearlessness to the white-ball game, saying: "I will bring the positivity and style I like to operate with across all formats and I think it will give us a good chance of being successful.

"The white-ball side has been through a dynasty. They have won World Cups and some once-in-a-generation players have come through at the same time. Now a natural regeneration is required and that's the bit that excites me."

McCullum added he sought the approval of Test skipper Ben Stokes before committing to the new role, and he hopes Stokes could yet be persuaded to return to limited-overs cricket, having prioritised the longer format during an injury-hit spell.

"In terms of white-ball, why not? We will see where he sits. He loves big moments and big stages but our players can't play everything," McCullum said of Stokes.

"There will be some bilateral series where we can't have all our best players at the same time but when it comes to major events and big series, those players are very much in discussions."

England captain Jos Buttler will miss the three-match T20 series against Australia due to a calf problem.

Buttler has not played since the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to India on June 27, sustaining the injury in training for The Hundred, forcing him to sit out of the entire competition.

He was due to be back for England's T20I series but has suffered a setback, which also makes him a doubt for the five one-day internationals that follow.

Phil Salt will lead the side for the first time in Buttler's absence, with Surrey all-rounder Jamie Overton called up to the squad as his replacement.

Should Buttler also miss the ODIs, which start on September 19, Harry Brook will be the stand-in captain, with Essex batter Jordan Cox added to the group as cover.

The T20I series is England's first white-ball assignment since the World Cup, with head coach Matthew Mott since leaving his role.

Marcus Trescothick will take charge of his first game on Wednesday as interim head coach, with Test coach Brendon McCullum set to take charge of the limited-overs sides in a combined role which will begin in January.