Jonny Bairstow warrants automatic selection, his recall is a game too late

NED ECKERSLEY: In what started as an inconsistent and erratic career, Bairstow in the last three years has turned himself into England’s most critical run scorer after Joe Root

I wonder if Jonny Bairstow has seen The Shining? If so, there may be a bat-shaped hole in captain Joe Root’s bedroom door, “Here’s Jonny” ringing in his ears, and it’s about time too.  

Jonny is back where he deserves to be and should have been for the second Test in Pallekele a week ago. Back with the England line-up he worked so hard to cement himself in.

In what started as an inconsistent and erratic career, Bairstow in the last three years has turned himself into England’s most critical run scorer after Root.

Hitting 2,769 runs at an average of 41.95 since being named the first-choice Test wicketkeeper in the winter of 2015, you would think he had become an indispensable member of the England team. Apparently not! Despite his record and his hard work in getting his glovework to the level required for Test cricket, the selection committee decided they could live without him for the second Test.

^{Jonny Bairstow is back in the England team}

Now, I know England won the first Test and did also go on to claim victory in the second but I am convinced that, in any circumstance, Bairstow is crucial in creating England’s best team and deserves his place back regardless of results and other performances. There are other players in this bracket too. Captain Root, Ben Stokes and James Anderson can all assume that, when available, their previous showings warrant selection.

Over the course of the 2016-2018 international seasons Bairstow has shown himself to be England’s second most prolific batsman and is one of only two players still playing for the country to average over 40 (42.03) during that time frame, all this while having the added task of keeping wicket.

READ: Bairstow disappointed to lose the gloves

His record outweighs that of Quinton De Kock from South Africa and Sarfraz Ahmed of Pakistan but their importance doesn’t seem to be underestimated by their nations.

Trevor Bayliss, the England head coach, described Bairstow as having “world-class” potential in August 2018. Surely any sporting team who boast players of such talent need them out on the field, not sitting on the sidelines in a fluorescent bib mixing the drinks.

The same issue came up during the previous English summer when Stokes missed the last Test of the Pakistan series with a hamstring tear. England won the match and squared the series 1-1. Skip ahead to the next Test of the summer against India and the fit-again Stokes is, rightly I may add, restored to England’s middle order.

Bairstow will not keep in the third Test against Sri Lanka

So why the change of strategy in Sri Lanka? I know Ben Foakes did brilliantly on debut with both bat and with the gloves and I’m not implying he should be the one to make way, but surely Bairstow’s consistent performances over a sustained period of time must count for something?

Of course, it can be said that these selection dilemmas are, in the grand scheme of things, great for the national side and competition for places should see the team continue to improve.

However, I believe that on this occasion someone needed to make the tough call of who to leave out of the team in order to accommodate the fit-again Bairstow.

I would hate to think that Bairstow now sees it as a decision that demonstrates disloyalty and on that implies he is disposable because it is clear from his past exploits that England are going to require his ability for many years to come.

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