Bairstow won’t give up his bid to keep wicket in fourth Test
● But broken finger may prevent him
Jonny Bairstow is desperate to keep his grasp on England’s wicketkeeping gloves despite discouraging signs during Test match training in Southampton.
It was understood when Bairstow was named last week in a 14-man squad for the fourth Specsavers Test against India that the best he could hope for, after breaking his finger at Trent Bridge, was to play as a specialist batsman and hand the gloves back to Jos Buttler. But at his press conference before England practice, the Yorkshireman revealed he was planning to put his left middle finger to the test again with the wicketkeeping gloves on.
A cursory quarter-hour session followed, in which Bairstow took gentle throws and then lobs from a groundlevel bowling machine, before spending at least as long in earnest and occasionally animated conversation with head coach Trevor Bayliss.
The set-piece exchange of views on the edge of the Ageas Bowlsquaremadeforcompulsive viewing, yards away from Bairstow’s team-mates and national selector Ed Smith.
It follows Bayliss’ acknowledgement last week that if England decide they prefer Buttler to Bairstow in the long term–ratherthanjustbecause of current injury – there would be “deep conversation” and “a lot of explaining and chatting” in the offing.
Before he started trying to convince England of his current fitness to keep wicket as well as bat, Bairstow said: “The finger feels good. The swelling’s gone down, and it’s a lot better than I thought it was going to be.”
Asked if that means he may still be behind the stumps as England try to seal the series by going 3-1 up, Bairstow said: “It’s up for discussion ... I don’t know how it’s going to be.”