England are set to miss vice-captain Jos Buttler in the fourth Test against India at The Oval. The wicketkeeper-batsman is preparing for the birth of his second child. England is already missing the services of their star all-rounder Ben Stokes and key pacer Jofra Archer. Fast bowlers Stuart Broad and Mark Wood also got injured during the India vs England series.

Wood missed out the third Test after sustaining a shoulder injury in the field at Lord’s. The pacer, who is still part of England’s squad, will be assessed by team medics before a final decision on his availability.

England on Sunday announced a 15-man squad for the fourth Test. The five-match Test series is currently tied 1-1. After a 151-run loss in the second Test at Lord’s, England won the third match by an innings and 76 runs.

All-rounder Chris Woakes is back in the scheme of things. He has not played a Test in the past year due to a combination of injuries and bad form.

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Buttler has been light on runs in the first three matches, with a top score of 25, but his wicketkeeping has been tidy with 18 catches under his belt. In Buttler’s absence, Jonny Bairstow is set to don the gloves.

“We would like to wish Jos and his family all the very best for the impending birth of their second child. Unfortunately, he will miss this test, and we’ll then see if he returns for the final test,” England head coach Chris Silverwood said.

England’s 15-member squad for the fourth Eng vs Ind Test:

Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

The fourth Test will begin on September 2.