Eng vs India: Buttler to miss Oval Test against India, Woakes in contention

Headingley [UK], August 29: England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler will miss the upcoming Oval Test against India, head coach Chris Silverwood confirmed on Sunday.

“We would like to wish Jos and his family all the very best for the impending birth of their second child. Unfortunately, he will miss this Test, and we’ll then see if he returns for the final Test at Emirates Old Trafford,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Silverwood as saying.

“Jonny Bairstow will take over wicketkeeping duties, which he is relishing. As we all know, he has the skills to seamlessly take over from Jos and the ability to score crucial runs in the middle-order if called upon. Sam Billings, who was in the Test squad for the New Zealand series earlier this summer, returns as reserve keeper. He understands how we want to approach our cricket and is a popular member of the group. He will fit in well with the rest of the group,” he added.

Silverwood also said that Chris Woakes is in contention to play the upcoming fourth Test against India, with the series evenly poised at 1-1.

“It is very pleasing that we have Chris Woakes returning to the Test squad. He has bowled well over the past week with Warwickshire without any real concerns with his heel injury. He is an asset we have been missing both with the ball and his ability to score runs in the middle order. We are looking forward to seeing him prepare at The Oval as we go into back-to-back Tests,” said Silverwood.

“Mark Wood is making excellent recovery from his jarred right shoulder. He bowled in the middle on the last day at Headingley with our bowling coach Jon Lewis and was starting to get through his spells pain-free,” Silverwood added. “For the first time in this series, it is pleasing to have several options with our bowling stocks as we approach the latter stages of the series,” he added.

With the score reading 215/2 at the start of the fourth morning, India would have hoped to continue the remarkable comeback they had started scripting on the third day of the third Test at Leeds on Friday.

But it wasn’t to be as the England bowlers came out all guns blazing and wrapped the game up in the opening session itself on Saturday to register an innings and 76-run win.