Tuesday 26 February 2019 16:59, UK
Jason Roy has the ability to replicate David Warner and go from a white-ball specialist to a top Test batsman, according to Mark Butcher.
The Surrey batsman was in brilliant form to score his seventh one-day international hundred for England in their record-breaking win over Windies in the first ODI in Barbados.
With England still struggling to find a top three they can consistently rely in Test cricket and the Ashes just a few months away, Butcher believes Roy could be the solution at No 3.
"Three would be the preferred slot for me," Butcher said when asked about Roy's Test credentials. "I don't see anything technique-wise that would stop him.
"Yes, he is a little bit legside dominant but then Viv Richards was legside dominant and he did alright! It's not a comparison but what I'm saying is that that doesn't stop you being successful at that level.
"David Warner was someone very similar in the early part of his career when he was just a T20 player, everyone was saying he just a slogger and now he's one of Australia's best Test match batsmen.
"The reason why he was able to transfer that is because his footwork and balance were superb - when he goes forward, he goes a long way forward and when he goes back he goes a long way back - and Jason Roy is very similar.
"When it comes to the way he moves and the fact that he picks up his hands, that he presents the full face of the bat to the ball, the fact that he goes forward and back and is very definite in the moves that he makes tells me that he could do that.
"Surrey were going to give him five or six Championship games at the end of last season at No 3, he got injured and only played two games but made 70 and a hundred in front of the cameras.
"He has the game to play at the top of the order, I have no doubt about that. When you line up who the other options are, are you as confident in them as him?"
Watch the second one-day international between Windies and England from 2.30pm, Friday on Sky Sports Cricket.
