“He’s looked really good in practice, and he’s obviously had a fine couple of years”

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England captain Joe Root has confirmed that pace bowler Toby-Roland Jones will make his Test debut in the third Test against South Africa at The Oval on Thursday.

Roland-Jones, who has represented England in one ODI to date, will replace fellow seamer Mark Wood, who has failed to sufficiently recover from a heel injury.

“Woody’s not 100 per cent fit, so he’s going to miss out and Toby’s going to come in and make his debut,” Root told Sky Sports. “In the lead-up to the other games he’s looked really good in practice, and he’s obviously had a fine couple of years.

“It’s a very exciting time for anyone making their Test debut, and I’m sure he’ll be desperate to show what he can do.”

Wood has undergone three ankle surgeries since October 2015, but despite this, Root is confident that the 27-year-old won’t be spending lengthy periods of time on the sidelines in the future.

“I don’t think it’s a concern,” he said. “It’s the nature of how he throws himself into his work. He’s learning about his body all the time and I can’t see him not being fit for too much longer.”

England and South Africa are tied at 1-1 going into the third Test.