Cook backs Taylor to thrive on Test return

England captain Alastair Cook has backed James Taylor to make a strong comeback on his return to the Test fold after a gap of three years.

Taylor, who played his last Test against South Africa in 2012, has replaced wicketkeeper Jos Buttler for Sunday's must-win third Test against Pakistan in Sharjah.

The 25-year-old right-handed batsman earned his place back with a solid domestic season that saw him hit a career-best 291 before scoring his maiden international hundred in the one-day series with Australia.

Reflecting on Taylor's Test return, Cook said that the right-hander was ready for his England return in the longest form of the game and insisted that he has become a lot different player to what he was in 2012, the Guardian reported.

While praising Taylor for his brilliant ODI hundred against Australia earlier this summer, the captain insisted that the returning batsman has proved his mettle in the domestic circuit as he averages 47-48 in first-class cricket.