Jonny Bairstow commits to remaining three-format player but warns schedule "will take it out of you"

The Yorkshireman will continue to make himself available for Tests, ODIs and T20Is but accepts he may need to make a decision further down the line

bairstowj230701-min

Jonny Bairstow will remain available for all three formats for England but accepts the international schedule takes a huge physical toll on players.

The Yorkshireman's comments come in the week of Ben Stokes' retirement from one-day internationals and scrutiny of the calendar ahead of the release of the next ICC Future Tours Programme.

Bairstow will likely be the only England men's player to feature in all three forms of the game this summer and is likely to be an ever-present this winter for the tours of Australia, Pakistan and the T20 World Cup.

"Naturally there are challenges, we've seen that over a period of time now," Bairstow told Sky Sports ahead of the 118-run victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Old Trafford.

"We only have to look at the Tests this summer where there was a one-day squad over in Holland at the same time. 

"Even at the back-end of this summer, there are the seven T20s in Pakistan that pretty much overlap with the last Test match [against South Africa].

"But you know me well enough to know that I will be trying to play all forms for as long as possible.

"I will be going all out for as long as I can. There might come a time that, for different reasons, you do have to make a decision but that's part of life and part and parcel of cricket.

bairstowjstokes230701-min

Stokes took his leave from ODI cricket after the first South Africa ODI at Chester-le-Street (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

"In the near future, I don't see myself making a choice. I love being part of all three squads."

Stokes, the Test captain, described taking on all three formats as "unsustainable" in the current climate, but there is likely to be no let-up in the schedule during the next FTP cycle.

Bairstow cited The Hundred as complicating the make-up of an already packed fixture list during the English summer.

He added: "I don't think we have a choice, do we? The schedule is the schedule.

"It's a difficult one. You want to be playing, but I think Stokesy does have a point in some ways - I mentioned about the overlapping games.

"There used to be lead-ins and training days before games but this is the first time in 11 years I have been with England that we have back-to-back games on successive days.

"They are also trying to fit in different things like The Hundred so it is tricky.

"There are going to be impacts and, if you are playing all of those formats at full intensity, it will take it out of you."


Related Topics

Comments

LATEST NEWS

STAY UP TO DATE Sign up to our newsletter...
SIGN UP

Thank You! Thank you for subscribing!

Units 7-8, 35-37 High St, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough, LE128PY

website@thecricketer.com

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.