Sam Billings was added to the Ashes squad as a backup wicketkeeper-batsman, England. Wicketkeeper-batsman Buttler will provide cover for Bairstow, who has a hand injury.

Billings, who has just completed a spell for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League, was due to fly to the UK this evening ahead of England’s T20I tour of the Caribbean.

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He will now join the Test party in Sydney after a period of isolation in the team hotel subject to receiving a negative PCR test result.

Billings, an established member of England’s white-ball squads, is uncapped as a Test player and joins Kent teammate Zak Crawley in his country’s Men’s Test set-up.

Buttler’s struggle for form with the bat continued on the third day at the SCG when he was dismissed for naught in eight balls, leaving Usman Khawaja at short extra cover off Pat Cummins. Butler now has 96 runs in seven innings at 16.00. A finger injury picked up while fielding the previous day could well have hindered him on this occasion, casting doubt on his ability to keep wickets during Australia’s second innings.

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Bairstow was dismissed for 103 not out after suffering a thumb hit by Cummins during the afternoon.

I was hurting–

“I was hurting,” Bairstow said. “But, look, you’re playing the New Year’s Test match in Sydney on a pink day. It’s going to take a lot to get you off the field. In some ways, it frees you, in some, it doesn’t. But at the end of the day, you still have a job to do. Yes, it will be painful. But at the end of the day. You are playing cricket for England and I am very, very proud to do that.”

Potential wicketkeeping gloves in Hobart-

When asked about potential wicketkeeping gloves in Hobart, Bairstow said: “I don’t know yet, really to be honest with you. I’ll know some more details tomorrow. I’m sure about the keeping side of things anyway.” No, but from a batting point of view, I will be there in the morning.”

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