Bairstow ruled out of first Test against Sri Lanka

Jonny Bairstow has not recovered from his ankle injury and is out of the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Tuesday, England coach Trevor Bayliss has confirmed.

Bairstow suffered ligament damage in his right ankle playing football during the ODI leg of the tour and, while he is making good progress, he will miss the first of three Tests in Galle.

Bayliss told Test Match Special and talkSPORT: “Jonny is not available for this Test match.

“He has come on a long way in the last week or so but with another winter tour and a big summer, we didn’t necessarily want to risk it.”

Jos Buttler, who will play in Galle as a batsman, could take the gloves from Bairstow or England could be tempted to give a Test debut to Ben Foakes, who is regarded as the best gloveman in the country.

Both players have gone through training drills at practices but a final call has not yet been made.

Bayliss added: “They’re both still very much in our thinking and that will probably come down to the combination we want to play,” said Bayliss.

“Definitely one of them will be keeping but how we structure the batting order and what combination of bowlers we put in to the team could determine who eventually gets the gloves.”

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