Jonny Bairstow’s future in the England team looks to be as a specialist batsman with Jos Buttler likely to keep the wicketkeeping gloves in the long term.

Bairstow handed over wicketkeeping duties to Buttler at the Ageas Bowl after breaking his finger at Trent Bridge and he is now in line to become England’s No 1 keeper in both white and red-ball cricket.

It is a tough call on Bairstow who has worked incredibly hard to lift his wicketkeeping since replacing Buttler behind the stumps in the UAE in 2016. After struggling at first, Bairstow became a dependable keeper and has also scored all five of his Test hundreds as wicketkeeper.

But Buttler has become an increasingly important figure in the team this summer since his Test recall and was appointed vice-captain before the start of the India series. England like his calm demeanour behind the stumps and believe the keeping position gives him a valuable insight when it comes to advising Root.

It leaves Bairstow contemplating a change of role batting at five and possibly replacing Alastair Cook at first slip.

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Bairstow was clearly unsettled at the Ageas Bowl by comments from Root before the game when he said there was no guarantee he would return as the team’s keeper when fit. He was then bowled for a first-ball duck for the second time in three innings and looked distant from the team when stuck on the boundary during India’s run chase, although that may have been a move designed to protect his broken finger.

“Unfortunately it is not the first one (poor shot) he has played and he was very honest about that,” said Trevor Bayliss, the England coach. “He said it was a poor shot. He went away the following morning and was working hard before the day’s play with Mark Ramprakash (England batting coach). He realises he has to do better as a number of our players do when they miss out. They do not step away from that challenge. They work even harder.”

England will announce the squad for the final Specsavers Test against India on Tuesday with Moeen Ali keeping his place at No 3 in the batting order after agreeing to step up in Southampton when Root used the captain’s prerogative to bat in his favourite position.

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Root confirmed after the match he wants to remain at four having agreed earlier this summer to bat at three at the request of Bayliss and Ed Smith, the national selector.

Moeen averages more than 50 at No 3 for Worcestershire, but when he was made an opener in Test cricket in the UAE he managed a top score of 35 before the experiment was dropped after three Tests. However England believe he could make a go of batting in the top three this winter in Sri Lanka where the new ball will not pose the same threat it does in England and his ability to play spin will be more relevant.

Moeen Ali will retain his place at No 3 for the Oval Test credit: getty images

“We have winter tours to the sub-continent and West Indies and in Mo’s favour, he plays spin reasonably well so he is a chance,” said Bayliss. “He (Root) has always said he wants to bat at four. He understood where I was coming from that if we had a No 3 averaging 50 to allow him to bat at four that would be handy but I thought it was for the best of the team he batted at three. Hopefully we can find someone who can do a decent job at No 3 and he can bat where he feels most comfortable.”

England would like to pick the same team at the Oval but may have to think again with Ben Stokes struggling with a left knee injury. There is also a doubt over Chris Woakes, who missed the fourth Test with the recurrence of a thigh injury.