Johny Johny... Yes Papa. Scoring Runs? Yes Papa; Lion-Hearted Jonny Bairstow Defied Personal Odds To Realize Father David's Dream

Jonny Bairstow's stupendous rise as one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen to the very pinnacle in world cricket is nothing short of an enduring tale which testifies that a strong willed person can turn adversity into success

Jonny Bairstow (Image Courtesy: IPL Twitter Handle)

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) secured their third victory in the ongoing thirteenth edition of the IPL after registering a dominant 69-run win over Kings Eleven Punjab (KXIP) in Game 22 of the played at the Dubai International Stadium at Dubai. SRH's lethal opening duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow came all guns blazing by stitching a century partnership for the opening wicket to propel the 'Orange Army' to a mammoth 201-run total. Rashid Khan and Co. then helped Sunrisers register a clinical win by bowling out KXIP for a paltry 132 runs. SRH will be more than delighted with the blistering form of their English opener Jonny Bairstow who top scored with a whirlwind 55-ball 97 run knock to register his third half ton of the season. FIFTY!

Jonny Bairstow brings up his 5th IPL half-century off 28 deliveries.#Dream11IPL #SRHvKXIP pic.twitter.com/bsEsCBT8YQ — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 8, 2020

While Jonny Bairstow has established himself as one of the most destructive wicket-keeper batsman along with his English team mate Jos Buttler both for England at the international stage and in the T20 leagues around the world, there is a heart warming story behind the Yorkshire lad taking up seriously to cricket and realizing a dream for not only himself but his father David who also happened to be a wicket keeper batsman for England. Johny Johny.. Yes Papa, Playing shots ? Yes Papa, Scoring runs ? Yes Papa!! Like any other child playing cricket in England, Jonny also loved his father keep a track of his sporting exploits during his young days. Jonny's father, a former Test cricketer and wicket keeper-batsman who scored more than 13 thousand runs for Yorkshire in First Class Cricket. David Bairstow wanted to see his son take up the role of a wicket keeper batsman like him. Jonny was just eight years old. Along with cricket, he was training at the Leeds United Junior Football School. 22 years back, on the 5th January 1998 Jonny's life changed overnight. It was a very cold night, Jonny and and his sister Becky were coming back home along with their mother Janet after the football training session. They were happy and planning for the celebrations next morning as Janet was about to turn 42 years old. They came back home and found themselves shell shocked. Becky was 6 years old and didn't even know the meaning of the word suicide. Janet and Jonny couldn't even explain to her how her father died that night. David Bairstow had committed  suicide. He was just 47 years old. The next morning they went for the funeral followed by a chemotherapy session for Janet. She was suffering from cancer. Janet's Chemotherapy, radiotherapy sessions were going on and David Bairstow was deeply worried for her wife. During this crisis, the family could hardly know that David was suffering from severe depression. Father's death, mother suffering from cancer and a very young sister to look after ... 8 years old Jonny Bairstow became a matured elder brother overnight. Jonny has mentioned this testing phase of his life in the book A clear blue sky which he co authored with Duncan Hamilton. The young boy survived that stormy night . You can imagine, mentally it was killing but nothing could stop the brave-heart and strong willed Jonny Bairstow to fulfill his father's dream. He went on to become a wicket keeper -batsman for England and became one of the all time best donning both the willow and keeping gloves for his country. Jonny is here to stay , Jonny is here to play his shots , Jonny is here to score runs. Jonny Bairstow's Performance With Willow For SRH In IPL 2020 So Far -  Jonny Bairstow leads the run scoring charts for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2020 with 241 runs in six innings. The hard hitting right handed opener is second on the list for most half tons in IPL 13, notching up three 50s while opening the innings with David Warner for SRH.