Gloves off as Jonny hits back
KEEPER HAPPY TO PLAY AS A BATSMAN
JONNY BAIRSTOW is hoping a bumper T20 tour to New Zealand can put him back in the Test frame in time for Christmas in South Africa.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, who will play for Welsh Fire in the inaugural Hundred, has played 69 Tests for England, but was axed following a disappointing Ashes campaign in the summer.
He will miss the two games that follow the T20s in New Zealand. But the 30-year-old World Cup winner hopes a combination of decent scores, plus the chance to work on the technical side of his game when he gets home, will be enough to persuade new head coach Chris Silverwood to recall him in time for the second trip of the winter.
“The Test situation is what it is,” said Bairstow, who saw his Welsh Fire team in the Hundred put together before flying out with the T20 squad on Monday.
“I’ve got an opportunity to go away and just work on a few things. With the scheduling and playing all three formats over the last four or five years that has been pretty tough to do.
I think the last time I did that was probably in 2015. To refresh and refocus, I think, is an important thing to be able to do.
“It’s definitely a challenge because you want to get back in the side, and I want to be playing and representing England in all formats. “That’s the nature of me, that’s who I am – I want to work hard in the time that I’ve got and hopefully impress enough to be in contention come South Africa.”
Bairstow’s replacement as Test keeper is Jos Buttler, who was picked again in 2018 on the back of impressive efforts in the Indian Premier League, while Jason Roy’s Test elevation this summer came as a result of his one-day form.
Whether Silverwood is as enthusiastic about that pathway as his predecessor Trevor Bayliss was, is debatable, but Bairstow remains one of English cricket’s best batsmen and he admits he would be happy to play even if it meant giving up the gloves. “I don’t mind if I keep or not,” he added.
“I just want to return to the squad to try and get back in the side wherever that may be.
“Hopefully there’s an opportunity that arises and I’ll be able to take that when it does.
“Silvers is an exciting appointment for English cricket. To have an English head coach is something that I’m sure a lot of people in England will be very happy about. It’s about the right man for the job.
“He’s obviously gone up against some of the best head coaches in the world for the job and he deserves it.”
I want to play in all formats – that’s me