I’m sure we all remember when Johnny Bairstow burst onto the Ashes scene in the 2013 series playing primarily as a batsman, and then in the final two Tests of the following series in Australia as a wicketkeeper/batsman.
Honestly, he’s rated higher as a pure wicketkeeper than the current Jos Buttler.
The omission of number three Gary Ballance from England’s Test side is a big opportunity for Bairstow to impress, and remains the only change for the English following their thumping 405-run loss to Australia at Lord’s.
England selector James Whitaker stated, “Jonny has worked extremely hard at his game and his record for Yorkshire speaks for itself. He fully deserves this opportunity”.
“We feel that [Ballance] will benefit from some time in county cricket to rediscover his form. He has already had plenty of success at international level and as selectors we are confident Gary will play a significant role for England in the future”, Whitaker added.
Bairstow has been presented with an excellent chance to prove himself as a regular in the English batting order (likely at number five), in what has been a top-six carried by Alastair Cook and Joe Root so far during the 2015 Ashes series.
He initially came across as a batsman that was perhaps better suited to limited overs cricket, with an ability to score runs quickly through big strokes.
However, he has noticeably struggled to grind out a patient Test match innings, resulting in a low Test match average of 26.95 from his 14 appearances.
Bairstow last played a Test in the fifth match of the 2013-14 Ashes series, in Sydney, where England were comprehensively beaten by 281 runs in what was a 5-0 series sweep for Australia.
More recently, he has gone away and done the best thing he possibly could have – piled on the runs at County level for Yorkshire. In his last handful of county matches, Bairstow has produced a knock of 93, a century, and an enormous double-hundred.
Jonny Bairstow is just 25, and with only 14 Tests to his name there is the potential for so much more.
Can he take advantage of England’s current middle-order struggles and nail down a place in the order?
This is his chance.
Eski
Guest
time will tell but not convinced on guys with not a great fc record but look amazing Michael bevan for Australia had amazing potential he had a fc average of 57 but for one reason or another couldn't convert his ability in one day cricket to tests
ColinP
Guest
Bairstow has better fc record, average 47 after over 100 games, so decent sample size. But buttler averages 50 in list a, and is by no means a slogger. He is a proper batsmen and plays completely differently in the longer version, just has the ability to go berserk when needed, I actually think he should probably look to up his strike rate in test cricket and perhaps bat a little less responsibly. I am happy to leave buttler with the gloves, they are both solid enough keepers but still learning their trade (just like prior started it out) however buttler has been doing well over the last18 months. He has had a few failures but is a class act, there are many respected judges who believe that buttler should and in the future may move up the order in to the top six, such is his potential with the bat
Paul Schlanger
Roar Rookie
I trust that the Australian cricket team is not as complacent as some of the comments here are. It's easy to dismiss Bairstow as a recycled English batsman that will likely repeat his past performances. The reality is he has gone away and plied his trade. He is not the same batsman he was a few years ago. On top of that, his current scores suggest he is in extremely top form probably seeing the ball like a basketball. Stick all of that into the mix of the English cricket team and it has the potential to lift the performances of individuals within the team. So to all the skeptics out there hold your judgement and hope that the Aussies don't underestimate him.
Colinp
Guest
Jb is a bit of a powerhouse, if confident enough he will be looking to go downtown on lyon. Had an awful lot of dismissals bowled early on, seems to have rectified this. As jimmy said his biggest attribute is character, as a kid he found his dad, former Yorkshire keeper David bairstow, after he committed suicide, and has a reputation for real mental toughness, unsurprisingly I guess. So not an Ian Bell type, he will be in the Aussies faces. He should really give up the gloves, but has said he wants to stay as a keeper for Yorkshire, as his dad was
Slim
Guest
I have an idea, Shane Watson should take his shirt off and stand in front of the dressing room once every Innings Australia are batting. He can stay in the action like that. with a pose.
CT
Guest
I could look it up but who out of Buttler and Bairstow has the best FC record? Also is the latter's wicket keeping good enough for test level? If so on both cases. I would give Bairstow the England gloves. I believe that a keeper should be able to occupy the crease if need be for the teams sake. I question Buttler's loose technique to be able to do that against a good bowling attack. On the flipside. Bairstows record against Australia is a rather moderate @29 or thereabouts. Hardly mind blowing. But this time around he is in his element. He is also another Yorkshireman is he not ? There seems to be a few in this England squad. Dizzy must be doing a good job.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Shane Watson! Sorry, just had to get that out. I haven't seen one Watson story since being dropped. What should I read now?!
JimmyB
Guest
It's actually surprisingly rare for a player to be picked when they are at the absolute top of their game, therefore I think that it was a positive and decisive move to replace Ballance with Bairstow. I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see Ballance given another go at Edgbaston.
Eski
Guest
I think the fact he is averaging over 100 in county cricket suggests he has improved a fair bit, from what I have seen he is not going to struggle for shots against spin and the decks r not going to be quick he is not going to have to worry about johnson whistling them past his nose which to me suggests Jonny has a good chance for success
JimmyB
Guest
Where exactly is WOrkshire? Is it near LazyTown? You and I interpreted Dizzy's statement completely differently. I took it that he worked on his game and his technique by himself rather than being told what to do, you clearly think that he just reverted back to his old technique. You're right though, It will certainly be a step up facing the Australian attack, but then again it should be, it's test cricket after all. Bairstow is clearly a better player now than he was the last time that he played for England, his numbers will tell you that. He also has something about him as an individual. It would be nice if he was able to come in when England weren't in dire trouble, but it's probable that he will have to attempt some form a rescue. I wish him well.
gavjoshi
Roar Guru
Dizzy had written earlier this week "Nobody at WOrkshire mentioned anything about his technique. We ensured we backed him with his own methods". Those own methods during the Ashes 2013/14 in AUstralia and in England involved Bairstow right foot going towards sqaure leg while facing Johnson. IN a way he was so conscious of the short fast ball. Add to that he had absolutely no shots against Lyon on the opening day in Durham and also in Australia. Really struggled against the spin. Not sure much he has improved, he wouldnt have faced express pace bowlers in COuntry cricket.
JimmyB
Guest
Jake, as has been pointed out Bairstow is hardly an unknown, however I'm assuming that anybody called up by England would be an unknown to you as I'm presuming that you have no interest in county cricket, which is fair enough. Bairstow is averaging over 100 this season and is in career best form, Ballance clearly is not. I wouldn't have KP anywhere near the England team, he is yesterday's man. He was a great player for England but he's now nothing more than a cancer. He seeks to undermine English cricket and the England cricket team at every opportunity assisted by his 'bestie' Piers 'Bloody' Morgan, so it's little wonder that Australians have a newfound affinity with him. There's certainly form issues for some of the England team but then again there is for the Aussie team too and let's not forget that the score is 1-1, it's still all to play for. England in recent times, have been unable to string two good performances together so the shellacking at Lord's was sadly predictable, however there's nothing to suggest that things won't change again. It doesn't ever really pay to get too far ahead of yourself, especially in a sporting contest.
Eski
Guest
Bairstow is not unknown has been in and around the system for a period of time , now has improved his game and dominated county cricket this is not like brining in someone averaging mid 30s bairstow is averaging nearly 47 in fc and I think about 90 this season I could be wrong
Eski
Guest
Interesting time for England with bell and lyth struggling they could end up with two new bats in the line up and what's bairstows keeping like if Buttlers run of low scores continues in the ashes . At series end would bairstow become keeper and a new middle order bat comes in
Eski
Guest
Jake look at how Barstow has gone in county cricket this season u can't write him off that easily , from all reports has worked hard and should be a better test player this time round
Jake
Guest
JimmyB - Seems like the 1990's again when England kept bringing unknown batsmen who we never saw again. Do you think it would be in Englands interests to put KP for the last 3 tests? It would save any of the promising upcoming English batsmen from being potentially scarred by Johnson, Starc et al. England can't lose (metaphorically) with KP. If he plays well, England will have a fighting chance at winning the Ashes. If he doesn't, the English management will get their vindication and send him off into the sunset. Why risk the confidence of another new(ish) player? Ballance has been exposed and Lyth and Buttler aren't far behind.
JimmyB
Guest
That's my Jake, 'onya son!
Jake
Guest
Johnny who? Doesn't matter really. Just another lamb to the slaughter. No doubt he'll be exposed just as the guy who was dropped was, never to appear against Australia again.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
I'm not sure you can say that Root and Cook have carried the English batting. Stokes surely has done better than Cook?
ColinP
Guest
Johnny started his test career pretty well against South Africa hitting 95 on debut, but has been unfortunate, he was dragged around acting as 12th man for a long time , only getting the odd came here and there with no cricket in between and you could tell. Struggled in 2013 against aus, but other than Ian bell, not batsmen in that series covered themselves in glory. One thing he won't do is be dictated to by the bowlers, he will try to dominate...means England's 4-8 now are v attack minded players