England selector Ed Smith has on Monday (September 23) confirmed that Jonny Bairstow “hasn’t been rested” as he was left out of Test squad for New Zealand series, saying he “doesn’t have an explanation” regarding the same but they are not getting the most out of him in the format.
Bairstow has been going through a rough phase in the longest format of the game since last year, averaging just 25.91 with the bat, which led him to miss out on the Test berth for New Zealand tour.
However, Smith said he can’t explain Bairstow’s exclusion but he wants the wicket-keeper to become a “top player” in the traditional format of the game.
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Smith said, “I wouldn’t be looking to narrow his options but I’d be looking to have a very open conversation with him. I would say the primary issue which I discussed briefly with Jonny today and I’ll be discussing again when I meet up with him face to face, is getting the most out of him as a batsman.”
The national selector further explained, “Currently for whatever reason, it might be, whether it’s a white ball, whether it’s a busy schedule, whatever it might be, whether it’s keeping wicket [we’re not getting the most out of him]. Park all that, I don’t have an explanation, but I do have an aspiration and my aspiration is that Jonny becomes a top, top Test match batsman.”
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Meanwhile, Smith believes that this break will be a real opportunity for Bairstow to reset and focus on things to become the top Test match player and he is confident that the 29-year-old will bounce back strong in Test cricket given his first-class record.
He explained, “The important thing to focus on there is Jonny was picked as a batsman for England in 2012, as the outstanding young batsman in England. He has a non-Test match first-class average of 50, which puts him alongside Joe Root; only Ollie Pope is above those two.
And in the period of time that he’s been an England player, his non-Test match first-class average is 57. I think there’s a real opportunity for him to reset and focus on how he can go about becoming that really top Test match player.”
Smith signed off by saying, “I don’t think it’s a bad thing that every now and then people have an opportunity to reset and I think this will do Jonny good. And I think it will do England well. And my prediction is he comes back stronger.”
(With ICC inputs)
