England Test team is struggling with their top-order batting for some time now. The team’s top-four, barring captain Joe Root, look vulnerable and have been short of runs.
Zak Crawley, the team’s number three has come under high scrutiny after having a poor run in the recent times. The number three batsman scored 27 and 6 in the first Test played at Nottingham.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has said that Jonny Bairstow can be made England’s makeshift number three. Joe Root has promoted himself at times but the former captain believes Root has to continue his good form at number four.
"Joe Root, the captain and — by a distance — best player, is unwilling to move up a place, England would be shooting themselves in the foot by risking the runs he scores at No 4. That potentially leaves Jonny Bairstow as a makeshift No 3. He’s had problems in the past against the moving red ball, but he has tightened up his technique — he now goes back and across — so he could be an option," Nasser Hussain wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.
Hussain also added that Haseeb Hameed can replace Dom Sibley at the top of the order. England have been struggling to get a good start as openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley have consistently underperformed as a pair.
"If they’re keen for Hameed to play, then I would have no problem with him replacing Dom Sibley. Rory Burns was player of the series against New Zealand, so he can’t be dropped after one bad game, and if you’re picking on potential, Hameed edges Sibley," Nasser Hussain stated.
The second Test will be played at Lord's from 12 August.
