London (AFP) – Jonny Bairstow will keep wicket for England in the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Thursday.
Bairstow broke a finger keeping during India’s 203-run win in the third Test at Trent Bridge, with England limited-overs gloveman Jos Buttler taking over behind the stumps in Nottingham.
Buttler was England’s keeper again, with Bairstow deployed as a specialist batsman, in a series-clinching 60-run win in the fourth Test at Southampton.
However, England, 3-1 up in this five-match campaign, have returned the gloves to Bairstow for the Oval Test, which starts on Friday.
As happened in the second innings at Southampton, all-rounder Moeen Ali is due to bat at number three, with England captain Joe Root continuing in his favoured position of number four.
But England have retained the same 11 players for what will be national record run-scorer Alastair Cook’s final Test before the 33-year-old former captain retires from international cricket.
England team to play India in 5th Test:
Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Moeen Ali, Joe Root (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wkt), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson
