Jonny Bairstow has been backed to rediscover his form by England coach Brendon McCullum and English skipper Ben Stokes. Jonny Bairstow made 0 and 4 in the 434-run shellacking in Rajkot, continuing an awkward fourth tour of India in which is he averaging 17.00 from six innings.
Ben Stokes predicted big things for Jonny Bairstow at the start of the series. With Ben Foakes taking the gloves, the England captain believed a role exclusively as a batter could unlock a Jonny Bairstow purple patch akin to the summer of 2022 when he became the original Bazball poster boy. “We saw what we managed to get out of him, and I don’t want him to worry about anything other than batting at five, getting runs and what’s in front of him in the here and now,” Stokes said. It has not worked out as planned.
With England trailing 2-1 in the series there will be selection decisions to ponder ahead of the fourth Test in Ranchi, which begins on Friday, but McCullum gave a strong indication Bairstow will retain his place in the XI for what would be his 99th Test cap. Dan Lawrence is the only spare batter in the squad, having replaced Harry Brook who pulled out of the tour for a family matter and is unlikely to return. Lawrence, however, is yet to feature under McCullum and Stokes.
Jonny Bairstow career under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum
England want to give Jonny Bairstow every chance to access the explosiveness of two summers ago. He struck four centuries in Stokes’ first six matches, including twin hundreds in the one-off Test against India at Edgbaston. His 681 runs were scored at a rate of 96.59, and an average of 75.66.
He has struggled to match those numbers upon returning from a broken ankle that kept him out of the final Test against South Africa and the 2022-23 winter tours of Pakistan and New Zealand. Since the start of the 2023 summer, his 424 runs have come at 30.28, with just three fifties albeit one an unbeaten 99 against Australia at Old Trafford.
His first-innings duck at Rajkot was his eighth against India. But it is worth noting his dismissal second time around – lbw missing a sweep off Ravindra Jadeja – was the first time he has been out playing an attacking shot. Bairstow has scored only 102 runs in 3 test matches .
Jonny Bairstow’s poor outings in Asian conditions
As per ESPNCricinfo, Asia is the only continent in which Bairstow averages fewer than 30 in Tests. He has managed just 1,015 runs across 19 games at a dismal average of 29.85.The veteran has crossed the 50-run mark only five times across 36 innings in the continent. The tally includes a ton as well, in Sri Lanka.
Bairstow has managed 126 runs across four Test innings in Bangladesh at 31.50 (50: 1).491 of his runs have come across 20 Test innings in India at 25.84 (50s: 3).He has featured in six innings in UAE, managing just 134 runs at 22.33.The dasher has fared decently in Sri Lanka, managing 264 runs across six innings at 52.80 (100: 1).
Bairstow has not crossed the 50-run mark in Asia since his 110 in the Colombo Test in November 2018.The batter has now gone 14 Test innings without a half-century in the continent. He has scored 269 runs in this period at a dismal average of 20.69.His 47 in the 2021 Galle Test is Bairstow’s only 40-plus score in Asia in this duration.
Having played 98 Tests, the 34-year-old Bairstow has compiled 5,906 runs at an average of 36.45. He has smashed 12 centuries and 26 fifties in this format. Against Australia, he has clocked 1,125 runs in 21 Tests at 31.25.Bairstow has registered two centuries and six fifties against them in Test cricket. He has raced to 2,307 runs in away Test matches at 33.92.
The England management and captain Ben Stokes has supported Jonny Bairstow to come good in the remainder of the series and openly spoken about it before his 99th test appearance in Ranchi.
England skipper Ben Stokes has thrown his weight behind batter Jonny Bairstow, who is struggling for form in the ongoing Test series against India. The all-rounder claimed that he wouldn’t judge batters over a short period but on their long-term contribution to the team’s cause.
Jonny Bairstow is facing intense scrutiny ahead of the fourth Test against India in Ranchi, which begins on Friday, February 23. The wicketkeeper-batter is yet to score a half-century in the series and returned with scores of 0 & 4 in the recently concluded Rajkot Test. Overall, he has managed just 102 runs in six innings so far.
In Ranchi Jonny Bairstow did showed signs of improvements with scores of 38 and 30 in two innings of his 99th Test appearance but none were effective as England slumped to series loss at Ranchi. Post this result Bairstow still will make his 100th test appearance in the fifth and final test at Dharamshala and England coach Brendon McCullum feels that it would be an emotional moment for the wicket keeper batter.
Ace English coach Brendon McCullum exclaims sensational Jonny Bairstow to be emotional in his 100th test appearance at Dharamshala.
England Test team head coach Brendon McCullum suggested their excitement ahead of Jonny Bairstow’s 100th Test next week in Dharamsala. The 42-year-old admitted that it will be an emotional moment for the Yorkshire batter and they are looking forward to sharing it with him.
Bairstow, who made his Test debut in 2012, will become the 17th Englishman to feature in 100 matches in the format. With the keeper-batter enduring a forgettable series thus far, he will be looking to make amends in Dharamsala on the monumental occasion.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (Feb. 27), the former Kiwi skipper stated that Bairstow is quite an emotional character and it will be a massive moment ahead of his 100th Test.
“Yes he’ll be playing his hundredth Test. We expect a good Jonny. Jonny loves a milestone too. He won’t shy away from that. He’ll play. It’ll be really emotional for him. Everyone knows Jonny’s story and as you guys will know he is quite an emotional character at times and big milestones like that do mean a lot to him. It’ll be a really emotional time for him and we look forward to sharing it with him,” McCullum said.
The 34-year-old had played a couple of promising innings in Ranchi but got out at the wrong time. Despite Bairstow’s struggles, Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have entirely backed him.
The fifth and final Test begins on March 7 in Dharamsala. However much to the promise Ben Stokes and his team failed to deliver as India went on to win the Ranchi Test to take unassailable 3-1 lead over England heading into Dharamshala for the fifth and final test. This loss means that Ben Stokes and his team will now return from Indian shores empty handed and only has to play for World Championship Points in the last test of the series and Jonny Bairstow will be looking forward to make an impact in his 100th test appearance.