Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that the side should pick James Taylor for the third Test of the Ashes but only if Kevin Pietersen is unavailable.

Pietersen is a doubt for the decisive match at Old Trafford, having picked up an calf strain during the second Test win over Australia last week.

"Usually England say it could be one of four or five players but Graham Gooch did an interview with us during the last Test and [when asked about Pietersen] he only put forward Taylor's name [as a possible replacement]," Hussain told Sky Sports News. "So the way England are playing it - and the fact that he is going to play against the Australians - makes it look as though it will be Taylor.

"He played pretty well against South Africa but they completely discarded him after Headingley. I think he's a pretty good player, to be honest. If you look at his stats, he's playing division one cricket for a really good county in Nottinghamshire, he's done very well. If you don't pick someone like him then it reflects badly on county cricket.

"Taylor is the next cab off the rank and he should be given a go. The days of just playing someone in two or three Tests have gone. If he was good enough a few months ago, he's good enough now."

England face Australia in the third Test of the Ashes at Old Trafford on August 1.