Keaton Jennings has had a difficult summer. Recalled in place of Mark Stoneman for the second Test against Pakistan in June, the left-handed opener failed to pass fifty in any of his 10 innings during his second stint as a Test cricketer. There was some mitigation, of course. He was up against a seriously good Indian seam attack in particularly bowler-friendly conditions and it was not until the final Test of the summer that any opener in that series passed fifty. But Jennings’ methodical and, at times, robotic batting stance coupled with the repetitive nature of some of his dismissals have led to a perception in some parts that he is simply not up to the job at this level.

While none of this is a guarantee that Jennings will succeed in Sri Lanka, his Test career up to now suggests that his game is far more suited to the conditions that England are likely to face in the subcontinent. Therefore, his inclusion should be seen as far from being a gamble, rather he is England’s safest selection for a tour to Sri Lanka in the post-Cook era.