Jos Buttler backed to re-find his form as England go for series win in Johannesburg

The wicketkeeper-batsman is averaging just 17.40 after five innings with a top score of 29

Buttler has been backed to find his form in the fourth and final Test (Getty)

A player out of form never looks more out of place when he’s surrounded by others scoring runs. But as the attention turns to Jos Buttler’s poor returns on this tour of South Africa, batting coach Graham Thorpe has backed the 29-year old to come good in the final Test in Johannesburg.

The wicketkeeper-batsman is averaging just 17.40 after five innings, with a top score of 29. One crumb of comfort is he at least has a few starts - only one single-digit score (1) which came in the last Test when his role was to motor on, which he failed to do. England got to their mammoth 499 for nine without the need for one of the quickest, most devastating strikers they have ever had.

Buttler’s Test career is often viewed in two parts: his first stint of 18 and a second as one of Ed Smith’s first punts in his new role as national selector, recalled to for a home series against Pakistan at the start of the 2018 summer.

That year he went on to score 760 runs at 44.70. But from May 2018 to now, the average has dipped to 32, in keeping with a career average from 40 Tests.

Now with the gloves, his direct competitor out in South Africa is Jonny Bairstow, who played the first Test because of illness to Ollie Pope. But at home is Ben Foakes, the most refined keeper of the lot and a longer-term placement for the Sri Lanka tour in March and beyond. But Thorpe has full faith in the man in possession.

“I am really confident that Jos will have a good Test match here,” Thorpe told TalkSport. “The most important thing is getting the mindset, of all our players.

“There are guys who have been performing well and guys who might feel individually that they want to do more. Jos might have an edge of frustration but I can see the way he’s working. For me, he looks in good form and it’s a matter of time before he gets a score for us.”

Training was optional at the Wanderers on Wednesday to allow players rest in the three days between the third and the fourth Tests. Though only players who were not part of the innings-and-53-run victory were expected, Buttler was in attendance and had a long net both on the practice wickets on the periphery of the stadium and out in the middle on a strip next to Friday’s wicket.

He was in good touch but was put in a great deal of discomfort by what looked to be a fit and firing Jofra Archer.

Archer has been out of the last two Test matches with a sore elbow, but sent down serious heat to Buttler, getting the better of him with short and fuller deliveries. The 24-year old has had a difficult tour: playing the first match at Centurion and getting five wickets in the second innings but for the costly sum of 102 in 17 overs.

But some careful rehabilitation over the last fortnight, which has included stepping up his intensity with the ball, could leave England with the enticing prospect of picking him alongside Mark Wood on one of the quickest pitches going.

Thorpe was impressed by Archer’s pace considering “where he has been over the last couple of weeks”. With England looking to turn a 2-1 lead to a 3-1 win, they will want to take the opportunity to blow the Proteas out of the water.

“The elbow problem has been a big issue for him. You can’t force that, you have to wait for the player to be confident with it. Today he had good rhythm and bowled nice and quick. That;’s a place where we want Jof to be. He looks good, he will have to come in again tomorrow and back it up. We will have to see how Mark Wood is, and Chris Woakes bowled well again today and is fully fit. It will be nice to have all those options on the table.”

The big thing for Archer is whether he can come back on Thursday, with the rest of the squad, and bowl as he did on Wednesday. Similarly, England are monitoring how Wood recovers from his 27.5 overs of work from the third Test. The last time he played back-to-back matches was in the summer of 2017 - against South Africa - and having played just four more since then, the tentativeness of the medical staff and the player himself to count him in for this match is understandable.

“Mark Wood hasn’t played back to back Test matches for a while but he bowled exceptionally well for us and gave us X-factor in Port Elizabeth - high speeds of 90mph plus. We have to see how he is and I’m sure Woody will be really honest with us as well.

Jofra Archer could return on Friday (Getty Images)

“Historically it’s a pitch which has good carry and pace and generally starts softer then quickens up. It has that carry which bowlers and batters, and spinners like, everyone likes carry.”

If England opt for all out pace, Dom Bess would be the one likely to come out of the XI. That would have to be a call made with head over heart given how the off-spinner has come in and performed admirably: excelling in a holding role in Cape Town and a wicket-taking one in Port Elizabeth.

Thorpe would not be drawn too much on selection matters, but did praise the 22-year old’s performances which were duly rewarded with a maiden five-wicket haul in the last fixture.

“It would be tough if he didn’t play this Test match. He has done himself no harm though, in the way he has come into the setup, the way he’s bowled. For me he’s progressed his bowling from the last time I saw him, about six months ago. That’s brilliant when you see someone go away, he’s been on the camp in India and to see him progress is brilliant. He is young, like all the younger players, they have to clean the slate and start again. When you do perform it gives you confidence and makes you feel like you can perform at this level. You feel like you belong in the dressing room, so it’s good to bank that knowledge.

“It would be tough, but spinners like a bit of bounce in surfaces as well. We won’t rush straight into a decision, it’ll be nice to have all those options on the table.”