Jos Buttler has earned his Test recall on the back of his “unique gifts” as a destructive batsman. This was the view from Ed Smith when he named his first squad as England’s national selector and handed an opportunity to the uncapped off-spinner Dom Bess.

While the 20-year-old Bess comes in on the back of the broken thumb suffered by his Somerset colleague, Jack Leach, on Monday, it was the decision to bring in Buttler as a specialist No 7 batsman that hogged much of the attention out of the 12 picked for the first of a two-match series against Pakistan at Lord’s on 24 May.

The 27-year-old certainly represents a wildcard pick where talent trumps County Championship form, with the last of his 16 caps coming in India 18 months ago, no first-class cricket since last year and the first part of the season spent thrashing five successive half-centuries for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.

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“The panel felt it was the ideal time to reintroduce Jos,” said Smith. “We felt that a player of his unique gifts – what he brings as a destructive batsman, as a competitive presence, as a dynamic athlete, as someone who has leadership skills and is playing with such confidence and flair – this was the right time. The decision has been made eyes wide open.”

The starting point for Buttler’s inclusion was actually the promotion of Jonny Bairstow to No 5. While the Yorkshireman retains the gloves ahead of England’s one-day wicketkeeper – Smith cited his ability to perform both roles – it is hoped this will bolster the batting as the captain, Joe Root, returns to No 3 and James Vince misses out.

While Mark Stoneman is afforded another chance as Alastair Cook’s opening partner, Vince’s demotion after 13 caps and an average of 24.9 comes despite a match-saving unbeaten 201 for Hampshire against Somerset compiled over eight and a half hours.

Quick guide England squad for first Test v Pakistan Show Hide Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wkt), Dom Bess (Somerset), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Alastair Cook (Essex), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Smith said: “When you see [Vince] bat well, boy does he look a Test player. However, there’s a bigger picture and this is what I said to him today: his cricketing history throughout his Tests and also levels below, he has not produced the runs he should have done. He has not defined enough matches in a way that a top-order batsman with his ability should.”

On Root’s return to No 3 he added: “If you’d asked me, I’d have said I’d love Joe to want to bat there. Independently of that, Joe has said that’s what he wants to do – and I think it’s an excellent move. Joe wants what is best for the team.”

The former Test Match Special commentator and Kent batsman went on to state that the door is not closed for Vince or Moeen Ali, who was dropped for the final Test of a harrowing winter both for England and personally, and has been at the IPL since.

Instead Bess gets the spinner’s berth, having claimed 63 wickets at 22 apiece in his 16 games to date, albeit with only one of those games coming this season. Smith praised this excellent start to his career, the impression he made when with the England Lions and MCC during the winter and his sparky character.

Commenting on the news of his first Test call-up, Bess said: “I was actually in Ikea with my girlfriend. I’ve just got a new house so we were looking for some sofas and I was having an argument with my missus.

“I was really gutted for Leachy. He’s worked so hard. Luckily I’m very good mates with him and we work very well together at Somerset.”

ECB and Surrey to meet over Hundred concerns

The England and Wales Cricket Board has called a meeting with officials at Surrey in a bid to address any ongoing issues with the new 100-ball competition.

Colin Graves, the ECB chairman, appeared to threaten the club with the removal of the Oval’s host status during an interview with the Daily Telegraph on Monday in response to perceived sniping about the controversial new format’s rather hapless launch.

Richard Gould, the Surrey chief executive, described some of the public reaction to the tournament as “mirthful” over the weekend, prompting Graves to say: “If they don’t want it, fine. But if they do want it, they have to be 100% committed.”

Surrey insist they remain determined to make The Hundred a success but, much like the Professional Cricketers’ Association, they are also keen to get more detail and see their questions addressed when they meet with the ECB in the first week of June.