He'll Be Back - England Selector Vouches For Bairstow's Strong Comeback

The 29-year-old has found the going tough with the bat in the longest format of the game as he averages just 25.91 since the start of 2018

Getting dropped from the upcoming test series against New Zealand on Monday was a massive jolt for Jonny Bairstow. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) took this decision as the 29-year-old has found the going tough with the bat in the longest format of the game as he averages just 25.91 since the start of 2018. The wicket-keeper batsman has become a top limited-overs player for the team but there is no reason why he has struggled in the Test format. However, England selector Ed Smith backed the wicket-keeper batsman to come back stronger and become a top Test player for the side. “I do not think it is 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," International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Smith as saying. “Currently for whatever reason it might be, whether it's the 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,” he added. Smith termed this axing as an opportunity for Bairstow to reset and focus on how he can go about becoming that really top Test match player. “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 has 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 said.