Head Coach Trevor Bayliss suggested Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler could make their returns to the England Test match team – for their batting prowess.
Bayliss, speaking to the media following England's Royal London ODI win at Cardiff, which clinched a 3-0 series victory, was full of praise for both men, who have spent time out of the Test team in the past few months.
Stokes missed the final two Tests against Sri Lanka earlier in the summer, while wicket-keeper-batsman Buttler was dropped in favour of Jonny Bairstow during the winter tour of the United Arab Emirates.
Bayliss, who will also consider Stokes' Durham teammate Scott Borthwick for a Test recall, said the allrounder was good enough to play as a batsman – a role he is reprising this week for Durham in the county's four-day match versus Hampshire at Chester-le-Street.
"From my point of view, he's in contention for a batting spot if it's fit," Bayliss said of Stokes."
"He's playing the next four-day game as a batsman and might, depending on how he's gone in the last few days in the nets, he might bowl some short spells. I'm just saying a guy who has made plenty of runs in Test cricket already, he has to be discussed I'm sure."
England's squad for the first Investec Test against Pakistan will be announced on Thursday afternoon, with Nick Compton likely to be left out and the likes of Buttler, Stokes, Borthwick and Jason Roy all in contention for a batting spot, according to Bayliss.
Buttler impressed in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, smashing 70 off 45 balls in the Cardiff finale, to add to his match-defining 93 in the opener at Trent Bridge to help England secure a tie.
Bayliss added: "Knowing Jos and the type of sportsman he is - whatever he's doing: darts, snooker, football, cricket – he's a game player. He could play as a bat, I'm sure. He could field, he wouldn't have too many problems at all.
"We saw Jonny (Bairstow) field in these one-day games and he's a very similar sportsman as well, a good athlete, and I think Jos would be the same. He played in the IPL as a fielder. I think he could handle it.
"Personally I think he'd be better in Test cricket if he played like he does in the white-ball game. That would be devastating, him coming in at six or seven and being able to play like that.
"He certainly looks like he has a lot of confidence at the moment. This series against Sri Lanka has probably been as consistent as he's played since I got here. The way he has struck the ball, the way he has carried himself, his keeping as well was pretty good, he's certainly in contention."
With James Anderson an injury doubt for the first Test at Lord's and the form of Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett in the ODI series, the England selectors have a few headaches ahead of Thursday's announcement, while Borthwick's fellow Number Three contender Gary Ballance has hit a century for Yorkshire at Scarborough.
In the immediate future, England will now build up to the T20 international at The Ageas Bowl on Tuesday night, before the first Test against Pakistan gets underway on Thursday July 14.
England return to The SSE SWALEC in Cardiff on September 4, to take on Pakistan in a Royal London ODI match. Secure your seats by clicking here.