Top-order finds ‘a real bonus’ – Farbrace

England left India on the end of the a 4-0 defeat in the Test series but having found potential solutions to “a couple of gaps in our batting order”, according to Paul Farbrace – although England’s assistant coach conceded the players still need to work on their catching.

Alastair Cook’s future as captain remains uncertain but he could well have a settled partner at the top of the order for the first time since the retirement of Andrew Strauss when England return to Test cricket in the summer. Whether that is Haseeb Hameed or Keaton Jennings – both of whom made impressive debuts in India – remains to be seen but their emergence has provided some encouragement at the end of ten draining weeks in the subcontinent.

Hameed became the youngest player to score a half-century for England since Denis Compton when he made 82 in the first Test in Rajkot, before he had to return to England for surgery on a broken finger. His replacement, Jennings, then made a hundred on debut in Mumbai. Both could bat in the top three against South Africa in the summer, either alongside Cook or at No. 3.

That may allow England to return Joe Root to No. 4, which has been another problem position, occupied by Moeen Ali, Ben Duckett, Gary Ballance and James Vince in recent series.

“The one thing we came here needing to find was top-quality batters to bat with Cooky and …

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