Bangladesh v England: Bell? Buttler? Who bats in the middle order?

England's middle order will have a very different look to it come the first Test against Bangladesh on Thursday, October 20, but just how different?

Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow are expected to move up the order to accommodate the extra spin of Adil Rashid - likely taking the place of James Vince, who failed to impress in his seven Tests this summer.

But who else slots in? Does Gary Ballance keep his place? Does Ian Bell return? Or do England look elsewhere? All will become clear with the squad announcement on Friday, but first let's speculate…

Gary Ballance

Concerns remain over Ballance's technique for Test level after a modest series return of 195 runs at an average of 27.85 in the Test series against Pakistan.

But the England management are fans of his temperament, and Ballance showed steely resolve most with a 150-ball 70 at Edgbaston and a gutsy 43 while Yasir Shah spun all and sundry out at Lord's.

Ian Bell

Many have already written off 34-year-old Bell's Test future, but as the 42-year-old press-upping Misbah-ul-haq proved for Pakistan this summer, you're never too old…

Or are you? Bell has hit only 610 runs at an average of 33.88 for Warwickshire this summer - hardly form to convince of a recall. However, Bell is a terrific player of spin and was part of England's last successful tour of the sub-continent, scoring an unbeaten 116 in the 2-1 series-clinching draw in the final Test against India. 

Scott Borthwick

It seemed certain that Borthwick would come into the Test team in place of a failing Nick Compton after the Sri Lanka series earlier this summer, having hit three hundreds in Durham's opening six County Championship games.

But a dip in form at the wrong time - just three fifties in eight matches since - put paid to his chances, as did England's wish to promote Joe Root up to three, something which still counts against him as well as Essex's Tom Westley's inclusion, but a few bonus overs of leg spin might see him reconsidered.

Jos Buttler

Perhaps the least likely to happen, as it would result in a move up to four in the batting order for Moeen Ali or Jonny Bairstow - although the Yorkshireman is in the form of his life, that's likely too much to ask of the wicketkeeper-batsman, unless Buttler gets the gloves.

Buttler, though, is arguably the most talented of the four mentioned in this list and you sense England are desperate to get him back into the Test fold.

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