England vs India: Jonny Bairstow may still play as a specialist batsman at Southampton – Trevor Bayliss

Ruled-out England wicket-keeper batsmen Jonny Bairstow could still play the fourth Test at Southampton as a specialist batsman if he is cleared from the broken finger he suffered, during the third Test against India, head coach Trevor Bayliss told reporters on Friday.

England’s top run scorer in the ongoing Test series, Bairstow fractured his left middle finger after being struck by a rising James Anderson delivery, while keeping on day 3 of the Trent Bridge Test, which has put his participation in the match in serious doubt.

Also Read: Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari named in India’s squad for last two Tests

“We have got to check with the medical guys in the next few days. They’re suggesting he may not be able to keep but might be able to bat. We’ll have to see how it responds,” Bayliss was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Australian Bayliss also said that Jonny might be asked to give up his wicket-keeping duties in order to focus more on his batting. Once the injury is completely healed, Jonny may bat higher up the order, he said.

That’ll be the hard thing, trying to convince Jonny,” Bayliss added. “That will be a decision that is taken from the team point of view. He is a world-class batter, we know that one of the difficult things might be convincing Jonny of that. If that was the way we went, it would certainly be a deep conversation. Jonny’s a reasonable bloke… we know he wants to keep but there would be a lot of explaining and chatting.”

Also Read: England vs India: ‘I still will not have Jasprit Bumrah as my opening bowler’ – Michael Holding

Meanwhile, England has called up James Vince as Bairstow’s cover for the next Test starting on Thursday. If Bairstow is indeed ruled out, Jos Buttler who hit his maiden Test ton will once be seen donning the gloves behind the stumps.

England currently lead the five-match series 2-1, following their 203-run defeat to India at Trent Bridge.