England vs Pakistan: Trevor Bayliss refuses to be too down about England slipping to six in world rankings

England can take some comfort from the fact that nobody beats Pakistan in the UAE. Five countries have tried across eight series and five have failed. The likelihood was that this England team was always going to fare about as well as its predecessors four years ago.

In the event, these tourists did slightly better and if losing the series 2-0 instead of 3-0 does not sound much of an improvement there were times during all the matches when they were ahead of Pakistan. But England have now fallen to sixth in the world rankings. In a table of 10 this is pretty moderate.

Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, now has a clearer idea of what he is dealing with after four months in the job. He was able to help fashion an improbable victory against Australia in the summer on pitches to England’s liking but he was as measured then as he was in defeat here.

“I don’t think the players’ expectations are too high on themselves, they know they have some hard work to do,” he said. “Personally I think six is a little low the way they can play. If you look at the list, two through to six and seven is all very close. They showed how well they can play at home and they showed some great determination and character throughout this series. I’m sure the experience they’ve gained will make them better players.”

Whether it will make them better players by next month, in time to challenge South Africa, the world’s No 1 side, is seriously doubtful. The reliance on four players – Alastair Cook, Joe Root, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad – cannot logically be sustained if they are to start winning frequently.

Bayliss has often mused that he would like to play two spinners. This is not romantic hogwash but based on a hard-nosed Australian practicality. When he was coach of New South Wales his sides had two spinners more often than not. It says something for his vision that after his experiences in the UAE, where England’s spinners were simply not up to it, he has not entirely ditched the plan for South Africa.

“We’ll look at the conditions and team we are playing, their strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “I wouldn’t have any problem at all playing two spinners against an opposition we thought were weaker against spin than pace. If that means we play an inexperienced spinner, well that’s how they get experience – by playing. If that means we have a bit of short-term pain for long-term gain then so be it.”

Too many people have been willing to write off Adil Rashid after a mere three Tests. Certainly, the conditions were helpful, but the opponents were masters.

“He took five-for in that first Test so he has the skills available to him,” Bayliss said. “It’s about harnessing that skill on a more consistent basis under the type of pressure we’ve seen against these batsmen.”

Jos Buttler has lost his place to Jonny Bairstow, who deserves a run. Buttler will be back, it seems, for the limited-overs matches against Pakistan. “He’s probably in a position where he’s not sure which way to go, and you usually find that with any batter who is in a bit of a rut,” Bayliss said. “A different format – a format he’s done well at in the past – could very easily see the re-emergence of Buttler.”

It may be, too, that these one-day matches will help the re-emergence of England.