Tom Banton has been recalled by England following a three-year absence as injuries bite ahead of this month’s Champions Trophy.

Somerset’s Banton, 26, will act as cover for the final one-day international against India in Ahmedabad on Wednesday as England’s medical team continue to monitor Jamie Smith following a calf strain that has kept him sidelined for the past 10 days.

It is hoped that the 24-year-old Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman will prove his fitness for the third ODI, but a left hamstring niggle for Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell has led them to summon Banton, who returned home from the ILT20 earlier this week as the competition’s leading scorer, piling up 493 runs with two hundreds, an average of 55 and a strike rate in excess of 150.

As reported by Mail Sport on Saturday, England were preparing to invite Banton back to the United Arab Emirates next week for a four-day break between this tour and flying to Lahore for a clash with old enemy Australia on February 22.

Banton is a much improved player from the one that won the most recent of his 20 England white-ball caps three years ago and would also offer a back-up keeping option if Smith is ruled out. 

He also has a strong friendship with England vice-captain Harry Brook stretching back to their England Under-19 days.

And he has effectively become the 17th member of this tour party following concerns that all-rounder Bethell’s misfortune could be serious enough to rule him out of the Champions Trophy. He is to be assessed tomorrow.

England secured a visa for Banton overnight and he will remain with them when they venture on to Pakistan.