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[FattusCattus]

I don't think you will do Vince any favours asking him to bat at 3 in a test side at this stage.

[rickjames]

Only change will be Compton out and Borthwick in. No need to change a winning team for now...

[brokenbat]

I don't think you will do Vince any favours asking him to bat at 3 in a test side at this stage.

agreed..especially against an attack that is a few levels above that of SL.

[Manormanic]

No stokes for Pakistan Manormanic?

No, given he is injured.

[six and out]

It will definitely just be 1 change Borthwick for Compton. The selectors always have 1 eye on the next series and by getting Borthwick in it makes the dynamic of the team completely different and allows them to have an extra spinner in India etc...

The really interesting question will come if YJB has a bad series with the gloves against PAK - with another test at Lords with the slope and moving ball. Personally i hope he comes good as he seems to be determined and working hard at it etc... realistically as a keeper myself i think ultimately he will end up as our no. 5 for a long time and someone like Foakes will get their chance. YJB just doesn't look like he is a natural keeper or more importantly he has the concentration levels when keeping.

[Johnny]

If he didn't have to carry the batting his concentration might hold up a bit better!!!

I'm backing him to improve enough to hold down the keeping role.

I reckon Vince will come good too.

Personally I'd prefer Root at 3, and either swop Compton for Stokes (if fit, though I thought he wasn't available until the 2nd test) with Benji slotting in at either 5 or 6 or if we do pick only one from Woakes or Finn, then blood the new man at 5.

[SOULMAN1012]

JB will be a great keeper in time, just like Prior before him and Jones before they will make mistakes even Gilchrist, Healey, Stewart dropped them at times but when your a keeper it stands out. There was a great piece during the last test were Alex Stewart was talking about when he trained with Alan Knott that work to 90% and if your achieve 90% that's world class.
He will be working like mad on that foot  movement and I reckon he will come good.

It's easier for him to work on his keeping than it will be for Butler to become a good enough batsmen for Test cricket in my opinion

[Aussie In England]

JB will be a great keeper in time, just like Prior before him and Jones before they will make mistakes even Gilchrist, Healey, Stewart dropped them at times but when your a keeper it stands out. There was a great piece during the last test were Alex Stewart was talking about when he trained with Alan Knott that work to 90% and if your achieve 90% that's world class.
He will be working like mad on that foot  movement and I reckon he will come good.

It's easier for him to work on his keeping than it will be for Butler to become a good enough batsmen for Test cricket in my opinion

Behave.

Bairstow is proper ordinary with the gloves. Buttler isn't exactly flash but he's better than Bairstow. Bairstow will be exposed in Bangladesh and India.

Prior wasn't a great keeper by any stretch of the imagination.

[skip1973]

And Jones was worse,

[Buzz]

Behave.

Bairstow is proper ordinary with the gloves. Buttler isn't exactly flash but he's better than Bairstow. Bairstow will be exposed in Bangladesh and India.

Prior wasn't a great keeper by any stretch of the imagination.

Prior was a mighty fine keeper.
His efforts when Eng won the series in India for example, keeping to Swann and Monty showed how good he was.
Yes he played on too long with ruined Achilles, but to denigrate his achievements is ridiculous. Even by your standards.
He was an intigral part of one of England's best ever teams too.

[Aussie In England]

Prior was a mighty fine keeper.
His efforts when Eng won the series in India for example, keeping to Swann and Monty showed how good he was.
Yes he played on too long with ruined Achilles, but to denigrate his achievements is ridiculous. Even by your standards.
He was an intigral part of one of England's best ever teams too.

Philip, Philip, Philip...

Blinded by your rose tinted glasses my friend.

Prior was a decent keeper to seam/swing bowling. Standing up to the stumps he was poor and at times embarrassingly poor. The amount of missed stumpings and catches of Swann/Panesar are endless.

And for the record Prior only took 7 dismissals in the series against India, of which only 3 wickets where off spin bowling.

[Buzz]

Endless? Wow we must have been even better than I thought to create that many chances!

[SOULMAN1012]

Prior and jones were both fine keepers in the term of modern keeper batsmen role and I'm a form believer that JB will be as well. Asia will be a test for any keeper on slow, low decks that take turn but let's and wait how that series pans out

[skip1973]

Sorry can't agree, Jones was ordinary and Prior became adequate. I am loathe to be critical of anyone that plays international cricket because I know the amount of work it requires, but both these guys in the scheme of great keepers are average at best.

[ppccopener]

Prior did work incredibly hard on his keeping to get himself up to the level needed, and a brilliant and under rated player for us he was...

Modern day keepers are very different so it's hard to compare a 'proper' keeper to what England have had previously.

I don't confess to be any sort of expert on wicket-keeping, ive done it a few times for my club and did ok, but I grew up watching Jack Russell and saw Chris Read at the MCC v ROW game and it's then you appreciate just how easy the 'real' keepers make it look-it's class just watching these guys.

Bairstow my guess will be short of Prior's ability. Butler is the better keeper I reckon...