Jos Buttler likely to replace Ben Duckett in Mohali Test

Mohali: After being put on back foot by Virat Kohli-led team India in the five-match series, England is most likely to recall their aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler for the Mohali Test, scheduled to begin on November 26.

The sources revealed that as Ben Duckett has consistently failed to handle the formidable Indian spin attack, the England selectors are mulling to bring in the 26-year-old Buttler in the playing XI, expecting a comeback in the series where they trail 0-1 behind with three matches remaining.

After playing a draw at Rajkot, the Alastair Cook-led England team was beaten by the hosts with a huge margin of 246 runs at Visakhapatnam.

England would be expecting to turn around the proceedings of the series as they did four years back when they, after getting behind 0-1, clinched the four-match series 2-1.

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If the reports turn out to be true, Buttler would play his first Test after a gap of around one year.

Buttler averages 30 in his 15 Tests till date but team's head coach Trevor Bayliss is sure that his short-form batting can prove beneficial for the team in the longest format for the game, said the sources.

England batting needs to be revitalised after a poor performance in the Vizag Test, however, captain Cook, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Haseeb Hameed have shown signs of brilliance in the first two Tests.

England is expected to come to Mohali Test with four pacemen as the pitch has some grass on it. Chris Woakes is likely to replace Stuart Broad in the third Test as the veteran bowler had sustained a foot injury in the last match.

On the other hand, Indian team would also come to the Mohali Test with Parthiv Patel in place of injured wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha.