Pakistan v England: Jos Buttler set to be dropped for third Test

England are set to drop Jos Buttler for the third Test against Pakistan and recall James Taylor to the side.

Buttler is expected be given a breather after averaging just 8.5 from four innings in the UAE, with Jonny Bairstow taking the wicketkeeping gloves and Taylor - who played the last of his two Tests in 2012 - coming into the middle order, although England will not announce their XI until Sunday's toss.

"Telling him [Buttler] was part of the job that is not much fun," said Cook.

"He's clearly struggled for runs in the last six months or so and he'll have to go away and be really clear on how he wants to play in Test cricket.

"He knows his game really well in Twenty20 and one-day cricket, but he probably knows it less well Test cricket. It's about finding his ideal method and sticking by that."

"He knows his game really well in Twenty20 and one-day cricket, but he probably knows it less well Test cricket. It's about finding his ideal method and sticking by that."

"We all know the amount of talent Jos has got - you see him play an innings that everyone around the world says is amazing - and he's not the first person who has come in, done pretty well then had a tough patch, been left out and come back stronger.

"He only has to look at Joe Root, getting left out and using it as motivation to be clear on how he wanted to play in every situation. He's come back as a far better player because of it."

On Taylor, Cook added:  "He came through in 2012, had a couple of games, but didn't make the next tour. I'm sure he feels he was harshly treated, sometimes the way of selection can go for you or go against you.

"The last three years, he is a lot different player to the one I remember. We saw that in the summer in the one-day series, the way he played against Australia and their quick bowlers in particular.

"He scored a hundred and looked a fantastic player. He has come on tour and continued that. He's obviously itching to play, and you don't average 47-48 in first-class cricket without being a fine player.

"One of his strengths is when he gets in, he gets big scores. Last year he got a big double hundred and that is absolutely vital, we know how important first innings are to set the game up."

England head coach Trevor Bayliss and his team are still to decide whether to replace injured bowler Mark Wood with another paceman or opt instead for a third spinner, with Samit Patel an option to start alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.

Moeen looks set to continue at the top of the order, despite averaging just 12 from the opening two Tests of the series and scoring just one run in each of the two innings of the second Test in Dubai, but Cook believes his fellow opener can offer something at the top of the order in the Middle East.

"I haven't chatted to Trev [Bayliss] today, unless he's changed his mind. Yeah, Mo at the top. I would say in these conditions it gives us balance which we have been looking for," added Cook.

As for whether to opt for a third spinner, Cook said: "That is probably the main decision we have got to make. Yesterday [Friday] when we turned up to the wicket they had just watered it.

"It didn't really give us too many clues so we will go out there now, some 24 hours later, and see. "It will be really easy after the game, in hindsight, to see if we made the right decision. It's going to be a tough call."

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