England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow believes that he has fair chances to return behind the stumps in the fourth Test against India in Southampton starting from Thursday.
He has stressed on the fact that while he has recovered sufficiently to play as a specialist batsman, he is desperate to keep wicket as well, for that's when he is at his best.
“The finger feels good. Obviously, we'll know later on today but the swelling has gone down and it's a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I wasn't able to put my hand in my pocket a few days ago, that's absolutely fine now,” Bairstow said today.
“I'm going to try and keep wicket this afternoon as well. I want to play so if I'm not able to keep wicket I'd like to think I could play as a specialist batsman. At the same time, I'm still desperate to try to keep my place as the keeper.
“If you look at the stats they suggest I'm better if I keep wicket as well. I don't know why.”
When asked if he would give up keeping, both in the short or long term, for England's benefit, Bairstow replied, “I don't know what the conversations are that are going to be had but it's a difficult one because you put so much hard work into keeping wicket over a long sustained period of time.
“It would be like saying do you want to give up your laptop and write everything free hand again.”
Jonny Bairstow sustained a fracture to his finger during the third test against India at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. The 28-year-old was hit on his left hand’s middle finger while attempting to take a delivery from James Anderson, left by Cheteshwar Pujara.
After being struck, he bent over in pain, then left the field with his hand covered by his cap. Soon, he was taken to the hospital for an x-ray which revealed that Bairstow has sustained a ‘small’ fracture.