England batting coach Graham Gooch has hinted that Joe Root will take Jonathan Trott's spot at number three for the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.
Trott has flown home to recover from a stress-related illness, and middle-order pair Root and Ian Bell have both been tipped to be promoted to replace him.
Gary Ballance, who scored a fifty in England's warm-up match this week, is the favourite to come into the side, although all-rounder Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow are also thought to be in contention.
Gooch has admitted that any of that trio would be more comfortable lower down in England's batting lineup, which suggests that Root will be given the responsibility of batting at three.
He told BBC Sport: "Root is an opener. We didn't obviously foresee this situation with Trott, but players have to adapt.
"Whoever comes into the team, whether it is Ballance, Stokes or Bairstow, I would have thought they would come in down the order. You have got to go out there and stick your chest out for England."
The Yorkshireman opened the batting in the summer series against Australia, but was dropped down to six for the 381-run defeat at Brisbane last week to accommodate Michael Carberry.
