Since the 2-2 draw against Pakistan at home in the middle of 2016, England have drawn a series in Bangladesh, lost 4-0 in India, and then, after beating South Africa and West Indies at home, lost 4-0 in the last edition of the Ashes in Australia and then in New Zealand.

Joe Root, meanwhile, has kept his average above 50 – 52.63 – but hasn’t gone on to play a big one since the first Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, when he scored 136. Not that he hasn’t been scoring, as nine half-centuries since then show, but he hasn’t quite been the world-beating batsman he is capable of being.

“There’s a fair bit of pressure on him to be the one who scores the runs and we need a few more runs from some of the other guys. I think that would take a little bit of the pressure off Joe,” said Bayliss. “When you get knocked over for 58 you’re concerned about it certainly.”

The English Test squad will next be called upon in August when India go across. Familiar conditions should help their cause then, but the batsmen under scrutiny, as well as the likes of Livingstone and Foakes, might want to use the period between now and then to pile on the runs and push their cases harder.