Fit-again Bairstow restored as keeper
LONDON: Jonny Bairstow won his battle to be restored as wicketkeeper and will bat at No 5 as England named the same eleven but will shuffle the batting in the final Test against India starting at the Oval on Friday.
Bairstow, recovering from a finger fracture in the fourth Test, flopped at No 4 after reluctantly handing over the keeping gloves to vice-captain Jos Buttler, England stumper in the limitedovers teams who has revived his Test career with consistent scores.
Bairstow did keeping practice in the morning to test if his left middle-finger had healed. “He has been the Test keeper for some time. It is no reflection of how Jos kept. It is also long term looking at the team’s schedule in all international cricket. Jonny deserves the opportunity to keep wicket,” skipper Joe Root told a media conference on Thursday.
He denied there was any tension in the dressing room as coach Trevor Bayliss had wanted Bairstow to move up to No 4 and Root to bat at 3.
ROOT BACK AT NO 4
Root, struggling at No 3, said he will return to his favourite No 4 slot with Moeen Ali to bat onedrop, which he does for his County, Worcestershire.
Root denied the team management had bowed to Bairstow, but said he will have to improve his keeping and shot selection. “Jonny will have to keep working hard, and keep improving. It is not just keeping, but his whole game.”