Coach Trevor Bayliss has suggested batsman Jason Roy will filter into the middle order for the third Ashes series Test, starting at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday.

Roy has struggled to convert a solid stretch of form at limited-overs level into success in Test cricket. The opening batsman has a mere 40 runs to show for four innings in this series so far.

‘Personally, I think Jason probably is suited to the middle order. We’ve selected him at the top of the order because of his form in the one-day team, but it’s obviously not quite the same as opening the batting in a white-ball game,’ said Bayliss.

‘We think we’ve got the best seven batters in England available to us at the moment. Whether we can change the order around and make it any better, I’m not sure. But we’ll certainly have a discussion about it. Just because they’re not scoring runs doesn’t mean it’s not the right or wrong spot for them.

‘At the start of Jason’s one-day career, he missed out a few times as well and it took him a little while to get the hang of it. So the possibility of him playing again at the top of the order doesn’t really concern us. We know what he can do when he does play well.’

Whether all-rounder Sam Curran replaces seamer Chris Woakes in the XI, meanwhile, remains in the balance. The addition would bolster England’s batting resources and provide a left-arm alternative to a bowling attack lined with right-arm seam.

‘Sam is ready and raring to go if he’s given the nod. We started off the series thinking that we would play most of our bowlers that are in the squad,’ added Bayliss.

‘There’s nothing wrong with Woakes. He’s had a long summer through the one-dayers and now Test cricket. Do we give him a break? Do we keep going with him? It’ll be a decision we have to make leading into this Test match.’

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