Alec Stewart says England's selectors must show faith in wicketkeeper Matt Prior during the Ashes because he can outshine his Australian counterpart Brad Haddin.

Former England captain Stewart, a veteran of 133 Tests, has mentored Prior in the past and believes the Sussex player deserves to retain his Test spot.

Jack Russell told Sky Sports News earlier this week that he believes the gloves should go to James Foster, who impressed during this year's World Twenty20 tournament.

But Stewart disagrees and is looking forward to seeing how Prior shapes up against Haddin.

"I always like looking at people's strengths to begin with; they are two very similar cricketers. They are both very dangerous, attacking batsmen.

"Matt Prior is averaging around the 50 mark while Haddin had a big task to follow in the gloves of the great Adam Gilchrist but he has now firmly established himself in that team.

"Batting-wise they are both top notch, keeping-wise they are both Test class."

Prior has played 18 Tests in comparison to Haddin's 15 but in that time has taken 15 fewer catches than Haddin's tally of 55.

However, Prior has two Test centuries to his name and averages 48 in Test cricket, a figure surpassed by only Kevin Pietersen in England's current line-up.

"I always sympathise with Matt Prior," reflected Stewart. "It always appears as though the public and media just want to jump on his back at every opportunity, or any error he might make.

"I'd much rather see people talk about how well he kept in, for example, the opening two Test matches against the West Indies at the start of the summer.

"I didn't see anything written or anyone say anything about Matt Prior which means he kept wicket very well and I hope we all get right behind this lad because he is improving by the day.

"We all know what a fine batsman he is and I promise you he is a good enough keeper to keep at the top level."

Haddin has scored one Test century, the 169 he racked up against New Zealand at Adelaide last November, and with an average of almost 38 Stewart believes England cannot afford to let him settle at the crease.

"Haddin has grown in stature; he is a very dangerous batsman," said Stewart. "Graham Thorpe, who I played with for Surrey and England, has coached out in New South Wales; he's helped work with Haddin, and he says he is an impressive character.

"Coming in at number seven he is not as attacking as Gilchrist but he can take the attack to the opposition so he is someone we have got to get out early. His glovework is very, very steady.

"I've been doing some work with Prior - I've always followed his career very closely. Now he's working with Bruce French, the wicketkeeping advisor to the England team and he's helped take Prior's consistency forward.

"He looks very natural now when he catches the ball whereas previously he may have looked manufactured but he is a great athlete and I expect him to have a big series."