In what comes as good news for English cricket fans, Jonny Bairstow is all set to return to competitive cricket for the first time since September last year. After breaking his leg while playing golf with his friends, Jonny was sidelined for an indefinite period; and following his recovery, the right-handed batter is ready to get going again. Bairstow will return to Yorkshire’s second XI against Nottinghamshire’s second-string side later this week.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Injury to Bairstow meant he missed all the action that followed – from the T20 World Cup in Australia to England’s historic tour of Pakistan, where they whitewashed them in Tests. Later, Jonny also missed the away tour of New Zealand. Moreover, the keeper-batter didn’t feature for Punjab Kings in IPL 2023, who replaced him with uncapped Aussie batter Matthew Short for this season.
Yorkshire head coach Ottis Gibson confirmed this news adding that Jonny will also be keeping wickets for some part of the game.
“Jonny is going to play this week. We’ll go and have a look at him and see how he goes,” Gibson said, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“He’s had such a long lay-off, so it’s a fitness assessment for him to see what his capacity is and what he can do on the field in terms of running around in the outfield or standing behind the stumps. He will probably do both to see which one he’s most comfortable with,” he added.
While Jonny had a startling 2022 before he got injured, having scored four Test hundreds, he still needs to fight for his place in the XI for the first Test of the summer against Ireland on June 1. In his absence, young Harry Brook grabbed the chance with both hands and has been on a run-hitting spree since making his Test debut. In six Tests played, the right-handed Harry has already slammed four centuries at an average of 80.9, with a best of 186.
Since the Ashes is still far, Jonny will have ample time to attain full fitness and find some form before selectors sit together to name the squad for the first two Tests.
- First Test (Edgbaston) – June 16 – June 20
- Second Test (Lord’s) – June 28 – July 2
- Third Test (Clean Slate Headingley) – July 6 – July 10
- Fourth Test (Emirates Old Trafford) – July 19 – July 23
- Fifth Test (The Kia Oval) – July 27 – July 31
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