Alastair Cook is hoping Jos Buttler can do justice to his special talent on his return to Test cricket today after 13 months out of England’s team.

Buttler, renowned as one of the most thrilling strikers of a white ball, was dropped from the Test squad mid-series against Pakistan last winter.

He will return as a specialist batsman at number seven but leaving the wicketkeeping gloves to Jonny Bairstow, after England were left with little option but to drop out-of-form Ben Duckett.

Cook confirmed the plan as England search for the formula to help them back into a series India lead 1-0 with three to play.

There will also be two enforced changes, with Stuart Broad and Zafar Ansari both injured.

The left-arm spinner’s back spasm is not thought to be a long-term issue — and he might well have given way in any case, having struggled in the 246-run defeat in Vizag.

There is more serious concern over Broad’s strained tendon in his right foot and Cook reported medics were surprised he was able to bowl so effectively through the pain last week.

Chris Woakes, who rested his knee niggle in the second Test, will be back for the third — while it is increasingly likely veteran off-spinner Gareth Batty will replace Ansari.

The England captain was unable to rubber-stamp those intentions 24 hours early but did enlarge upon the challenge facing Buttler to deliver immediately back in Test cricket — having played just one first-class match since he last featured.

“It’s clearly not ideal, not having any red-ball [match] practice out here,” said Cook.

“But sometimes when the pressure’s off, you can come out and do something special.”

Cook is convinced, as are many others, that the gifted Buttler will prove his modest average of 30 after 15 Tests is merely a starting point.

He said: “He’s an extremely talented cricketer — we’ve all seen that, clearly mainly in the one-day and Twenty20 format, probably up there with the top three or four short-form players in the world.

“We’re dealing with a very talented guy.”

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