England duo can advance test case at T20 World Cup – Key

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Stephan Shemilt, Cricket Editor 9 hours ago

Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt can “absolutely” push their credentials to become England’s best. Test wicketkeeping during the T20 World Cup, says chief executive Rob Key. England Test coach Brendon McCullum has said he had to "determine" who will take the gloves for the series against the West Indies in July.

By then, Bairstow will have gone four months without a match first-class, while Salt has not played red-ball cricket since September.

"The decision on who remains in the Test squad It won't be taken whether someone has played Championship cricket or not," Key told BBC Sport.

“We will think about who is the best person to do the job for the role we need and that is how we will make the decision. »

Ben Foakes was England's keeper in the 4-1 series defeat in India, with Bairstow playing as a specialist batter after donning the gloves for the Ashes of last summer.

< p class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10">After the defeat in India, McCullum said of the Test keeper position: "We will sort that out in time. Whatever our decision, we will put the investment and support into it, and try to spend as much time as possible to make it successful."

All decisions England take the relay on the Test side this summer will be partly with the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia in mind.

With Foakes and Bairstow, Lancashire's Salt could enter the reckoning . The 27-year-old has been in blistering form in T20 cricket and is currently leading...