LONDON:  Stumper Jos Buttler has done enough with the bat in the one-day series against Sri Lanka to be considered purely as a batsman for the test series against Pakistan, England coach Trevor Bayliss has said.

Jonny Bairstow has not impressed everyone with his keeping in the test series against Sri Lanka but Bayliss felt Buttler, who kept wickets in the ODIs against the islanders, was good enough to make the test side as a specialist batsman.

"This (Sri Lanka) was probably Jos's most consistent series," Bayliss said ahead of Thursday's meeting to pick the side for the first test against Pakistan at Lord's next week.

"The way he has struck the ball and carried himself with the bat, and his keeping wicket was pretty good, means he is in contention.

"I feel it would be better if he played in test cricket like he does in the white-ball game, coming in at number six or seven. Leaving him out of the side, as we did in Sharjah last year, has not done him any harm."