Jos Buttler: England man will adapt to Tests - Trevor Bayliss

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Jos ButtlerImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Buttler has scored England's three quickest one-day centuries

England's record-breaking one-day centurion Jos Buttler "will play a lot of Test cricket", according to national coach Trevor Bayliss.

Buttler was dropped for Jonny Bairstow during the 2-0 Test series defeat by Pakistan, but hit a 46-ball century as England won the one-day series 3-1.

Both wicketkeepers are in the squad for this winter's tour of South Africa.

"He's such a talent that I'm sure he'll be able to adapt his game to the longer form," said Bayliss of Buttler, 25.

The Lancashire player has a strike-rate of 117.26 runs per 100 balls faced in one-day cricket and has scored England's three fastest one-day centuries.

However, he went 22 international innings without scoring a half-century, between his 66-ball ton against New Zealand in June and his 52-ball 116 against Pakistan on Friday.

Since making his Test debut against India in July 2014, where he hit his highest score of 85, Buttler has compiled five half-centuries in scoring 630 runs at an average of 30.

Against Pakistan, he scored just 34 runs in four innings, after a summer in which he notched 122 in eight knocks against Australia.

Yorkshire's Bairstow, who has a highest score of 95 and averages 26.40, played six successive Tests as a specialist batsman before taking over behind the stumps for the third Test in Sharjah.

Asked whether Buttler may return as first-choice wicketkeeper for the first Test against South Africa in Durban on 26 December, Bayliss said: "It's something for us to think about.

"There's got to be a spot available for him, as well. It'll certainly be spoken about, I'm sure."

Bayliss believes Buttler may benefit from replicating his attacking one-day style in the Test arena, although he concedes it would take significant commitment from both the player and coaching staff.

"He probably could," said Bayliss.

"Whether he would allow himself to actually do it and whether we can get our head around actually playing like a Twenty20 innings in a Test match, I'm not sure."

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