Bairstow will come back stronger: Smith
DUBAI: After leaving Jonny Bairstow out of the Test squad for the series against New Zealand, England selector Ed Smith backed the wicket-keeper batsman to come back stronger and become a top Test player for the side. “I do not think it is a bad thing that every now and then people have an opportunity to reset and I think this will do Jonny good. And I think it will do England well. And my prediction is he comes back stronger,” International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Smith as saying.
“Currently for whatever reason it might be, whether it’s the white ball, whether it’s a busy schedule, whatever it might be, whether it’s keeping wicket [we’re not getting the most out of him]. Park all that, I don’t have an explanation, but I do have an aspiration and my aspiration is that Jonny becomes a top, top Test match batsman,” he added.
Bairstow has found the going tough with the bat in the longest format as he averages just 25.91 since the start of 2018.
“I would say the primary issue which I discussed briefly with Jonny today and I will be discussing again when I meet up with him face to face, is getting the most out of him as a batsman,” Smith said. “The important thing to focus on there is Jonny was picked as a batsman for England in 2012, as the outstanding young batsman in England. He has a non Test match first-class average of 50, which puts him alongside Joe Root; only Ollie Pope is above those two. And in the period of time that he has been an England player, his non-test match firstclass average is 57.”