Jonny Bairstow has been offered no guarantees he will resume as England’s Test wicketkeeper once his broken finger has healed after the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, said Jos Buttler could now make a pitch for the job full-time.

Bairstow sustained a hairline fracture to his left middle finger when struck in the field during the third day of the 203-run defeat at Trent Bridge – a result that cut England’s series lead to 2-1 – but he has been named as a specialist batsman for the fourth Test in Southampton starting next Thursday. As expected, Hampshire’s James Vince has been drafted in as cover on his home ground should the Yorkshireman miss out altogether.

It means Buttler, England’s regular one-day wicketkeeper, will continue with the gloves in the short term after covering for 66 overs in India’s second innings and then scoring a maiden Test century. The question now is whether the management may consider making the switch permanent in a bid to unlock Bairstow’s full potential as a batsman.

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“It’s like any injury, if someone comes in and does well then you have a decision to make,” Bayliss said. “That will be a decision that is taken from the team point of view. Jonny is a world‑class batter, we know that.”

It would be a serious test of Bayliss and Joe Root’s man-management skills were they to stick with Buttler behind the stumps. Bairstow has worked impressively hard on his wicketkeeping since taking over from Buttler in late 2015 and has made no secret of his intention to continue performing both roles.

All five of his Test centuries to date have come in the first innings when England have batted first – before having to keep wicket in the match – but he made 93 when his side batted second at Lord’s and is insistent that one discipline helps the other. England’s desire to promote him to No 4, in a move that would allow 20-year-old Ollie Pope to drop lower, could come first, however.

Asked if losing the gloves could have a negative effect on Bairstow’s batting, Bayliss replied: “That might be his fear, it’s certainly not our fear. If that was the way we went, it would certainly be a deep conversation with someone like that. Jonny’s a reasonable bloke. We know he wants to keep but there would be a lot of explaining and chatting.”

England’s management consider them near equals as wicketkeepers – Bairstow perhaps edges it when stood up, while Buttler may move slightly better for the seam bowlers – but should the latter get the role in all formats there will also be wariness from his previous experience doing so in 2015 when fatigue led to him being rested.

Bayliss added that “there are other options out there as well” and it is understood that Surrey’s Ben Foakes, rated the best gloveman, could yet enter the plans for the slow, turning pitches of Sri Lanka this winter, where the head coach and his assistant, Paul Farbrace, have experience from running the national team.

Looking to Southampton, Bairstow is confident of playing – “It’s all about your pain threshold,” he told ITV Racing on Thursday – but England will doubtless be mindful that another blow to his damaged finger could create further damage and, having taken the injury into the match, a substitute fielder may be refused by the officials.

Vince is therefore on standby for what would be a third stab at Test cricket. The right-hander scored only three half-centuries from 13 previous caps but is the second highest run-scorer in Division One, averaging 57 and having made 74 and 147 on his most recent outing at the Ageas Bowl. Vince’s return, and the decision to release the previously unused Jamie Porter for Essex duties, are the only changes from Nottingham.

England meanwhile have confirmed that Ben Stokes can now play for Durham as a batsman in Friday’s T20 Blast home quarter-final against Sussex, having reported soreness in his knee after Trent Bridge. The all-rounder is not considered a doubt for the fourth Test.

England Test squad

Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Alastair Cook (Essex), Sam Curran (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).