Ashes 2019 | Jason Roy more suited to the middle-order, says Trevor Bayliss
England coach Trevor Bayliss has hinted that opener Jason Roy might very well be moved down to the middle-order, stating that he will be more suited to that position. The Surrey man has thus far struggled to come to terms with Test cricket, averaging just 19.50 in six innings with a solitary fifty.
It is always a risk to pick batsmen, especially openers, based on their limited overs' form, and one can say that England have learned their lesson the hard way around. Despite receiving plenty of backing ahead of the Ashes, Jason Roy has looked like a fish out of water as an opener in Test cricket, and now coach Trevor Bayliss feels that the Surrey man might be a better fit for the middle-order.
"Personally, I think he probably is suited to the middle order. But we've selected him in the top of the order because of his form in the one-day and experience in the one-day team," Bayliss was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
"At the start of his 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. Obviously from his point of view, you'd have to ask him exactly how he's feeling but it's obviously not quite the same as opening the batting in a white ball game," he added.
Bayliss insisted that England have picked the seven best batsmen available for them at the moment, but kept the possibility of a reshuffle in the batting order open.
"We think we've got the best seven batters available to us at the moment. There'll be still some conversations to have. Now that we've arrived here in Leeds, that'll be a conversation we'll have I'm sure,".
While the bowling unit looks all but settled, there have still been question marks over all-rounder Chris Woakes, who was sparsely used in the Lord's Test. Woakes is one of the very few players to have played all World Cup matches and Tests in lead-up to Headingley, but Bayliss confirmed that he was fit and raring to go. However, the England coach did not rule out resting the Birmingham man in the upcoming Test, stating that they will take a call in the morning of the Test.
"There's nothing wrong with Woakesy. He's had a long summer through the one-dayers and now Test cricket. It's one area that we've tried to keep an eye on with Woakesy in the past.
"It'll be a decision we have to make leading into this Test match. Do we give him a break? Do we keep going with him? He's certainly bowled quite well while everything's been going on at the other end."
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