England v India: Jos Buttler called up as cover for Matt Prior

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Jos ButtlerImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Jos Buttler hit a brilliant 121 for England in an ODI defeat by Sri Lanka in May.

First Test: England v India

Venue: Trent Bridge, 9-13 July

Coverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, tablet and mobile devices. Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website/app

England have called up Lancashire wicketkeeper Jos Buttler as cover for Matt Prior ahead of the first Test against India, which starts on Wednesday.

Buttler, uncapped at Test level, was brought in after Prior reported some mild tightness in his right thigh.

The 23-year-old Buttler has played 33 one-day internationals and 36 Twenty20 matches for England.

He struck a superb 121 from 74 balls in an ODI defeat by Sri Lanka in May.

Jos Buttler, 23, Lancashire

Tests

ODIs

T20s

Caps

n/a

33

36

Runs

n/a

753

506

Average

n/a

32.73

22.00

Strike rate

n/a

128.27

134.57

Caught/stumped

n/a

48/4

10/1

Both players performed fielding drills with gloves on at Trent Bridge on Tuesday morning. Prior wore strapping on on his right leg, but appeared able to crouch in the wicketkeeper's stance without obvious discomfort.

The Sussex keeper was dropped for the final two Tests of the 5-0 Ashes defeat by Australia last winter, and struggled with an Achilles injury earlier this season.

But the 32-year-old returned to the Test side for the recent series at home to Sri Lanka, scoring 139 runs and taking 14 catches.

Matt Prior, 32, Sussex

Tests

ODIs

T20s

Caps

77

68

10

Runs

4,059

1,282

127

Average

41.00

24.18

21.16

Strike rate

61.61

76.76

127.00

Caught/stumped

231/13

71/8

6/3

Buttler's innings against Sri Lanka at Lord's was the fastest ever one-day international century by an England player.

That led to calls in some quarters for him to be picked for the Tests against the Sri Lankans at the start of June, but captain Alastair Cook suggested at the time that Buttler was "not quite ready" to play Test cricket.

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