Matt Prior, battling injuries and the resultant dip in his catching abilities, has opted out of Test cricket for the remainder of the English summer.
The 32-year-old England wicket-keeper will undergo a surgery for his troubled Achilles heel and he told the local media: I am not doing justice to myself and more importantly the team and that is what matters first and foremost. The main issue is the Achilles. I want to be pro-active about how we deal with it so I imagine that I will have an operation.
Prior’s role within the team has been under scrutiny for a while and after India defeated the host by 95 runs in the second Test that concluded at Lord’s on Monday, skipper Alastair Cook was asked about his wicket-keeper’s form and fitness.
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“I wouldn’t say he’s long-term if you are talking four to five years. Fantastic wicket-keeper. Probably shelled a couple too many chances for the standard he sets himself. If he wants to continue playing only he will know. You have to ask Matty if he is fully fit,” Cook said.
Jos Buttler was drafted in as the wicket-keeper into the 13-member England squad that was announced ahead of the third Test at the Rose Bowl here from Sunday.
The other notable change in the host squad was the omission of left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan.
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The squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Sam Robson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.