Jos Buttler is expected to be recalled as a specialist batsman to the England side following the crushing defeat in the second Test that leaves the tourists 1-0 down in the five-match series.
The 26-year-old has played only one first-class match for Lancashire since he was dropped as England’s wicketkeeper 12 months ago but, with Ben Duckett struggling at No4, Alastair Cook appears ready to make a bold change as England look to draw level with India in the third Test that starts in Mohali on Saturday.
Duckett was out for a 16-ball duck to Ravi Ashwin on the final morning as England were bowled out for 158 in 97.3 overs in a 246-run defeat. Asked whether the right-handed Buttler now comes into England’s thinking, having already dropped the other spare batsman, Gary Ballance, following the 1-1 Test series draw with Bangladesh, Cook said: “I think he does. It is certainly something the selectors will have a look at.”
Duckett showed promise during the one-day series in Bangladesh and also made a Test 50 but the left-hander has been removed three times in three innings by Ashwin and the England captain said: “It’s hard cricket in your first few games. The difference is quite stark from playing for Northamptonshire to playing here.
“Suddenly every innings is scrutinised. That’s the nature of the beast. And suddenly this technical flaw – whether it’s a technical flaw or not – people are aware of it and there is no doubt it affects guys. Ben is a really talented cricketer and I think we’ll see a lot more of him in an England shirt. Whatever the decision, we’ll see Ben Duckett scoring a lot of runs. He’s too good a player not to.”
Buttler averaged 30 with the bat in his 15 Tests as England wicketkeeper before coming unstuck against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last winter and would come into the side after a month without cricket, when he captained the one-day team in Bangladesh, given the absence of warm-up fixtures on this India tour.
He is unlikely to be the only change because Stuart Broad, who claimed match-figures of five for 82, suffered a strained tendon in his right foot in the second over of the second Test. Cook admitted there will be a temptation to press the fast bowler into service given his performance but conceded this would similarly be a roll of the dice.
“I think it depends on how that injury settles. To get through this Test like he did was actually an extraordinary effort,” Cook said. “He was in a lot more pain than people know and showed a hell of a lot of character – it’s probably one of the main reasons why he’s been one of England’s greatest bowlers actually.
“When it got really tough, he stood up and he bowled his overs and got on with it. We don’t know enough about the injury yet because it’s quite an unusual one. How much damage you can actually do to it, we’ll know in the next 24 to 48 hours. But yes, if he plays, he’ll be a big risk.”
Cook confirmed Zafar Ansari, who fell ill during the second day in Visakhapatnam, had also struggled with a back spasm and the left-armer was not bowled during India’s second innings. The 39-year-old off-spinner Gareth Batty is on standby should England retain three slow bowlers.
England’s defeat seemed inevitable from the moment they collapsed on the second evening in reply to India’s 455 and Cook said: “We can all agree it was a good toss to win. Anyone could see that. The first day was the best day to bat. We’re still very much in the series. A couple of good tosses will help that, there’s no doubt about that.
“What’s giving me belief in actually over 10 days of cricket is that we have competed very well in India in their conditions.”
