3 reasons why England should drop Jonny Bairstow for the 4th Ashes Test
After losing the first two Test matches at Edgbaston and Lord's, England finally got off the mark in the ongoing Ashes series by beating Australia at Headingly. It is an important win as it keeps the five-match series alive with the score now 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
England went into the game with three changes in the starting XI and they all impacted the game in crucial moments. Mark Wood picked up seven wickets with the ball and scored 40 runs at a quickrate. He was also out there in the middle when England scored the winning runs.
Chris Woakes picked up six wickets and was also present in the middle to hit the winning runs. He hit an unbeaten 32 in the fourth innings, a vital knock to get England over the mark. Moeen Ali also picked up crucial wickets during the match to help his team register a three-wicket win in the 3rd Test.
Surely we need to drop Jonny Bairstow now. He is unable to keep to Test standards and his batting form has equally abandoned him since his injury. #ENGvsAUS
Despite winning the 3rd Test, England still areas to improve in. A worrying factor for them will be the form of wicket-keeper-batter Jonny Bairstow. The Englishman has been poor with the willow and behind the stumps. Fans and pundits have called for him to be axed ahead of the Manchester Test, set to begin on July 19. In this article, we will take a look at three reasons why England should indeed drop Bairstow.
#1 Poor batting returns
Jonny Bairstow hasn't really had a great comeback to Test cricket as he has compiled just 141 runs six innings in this series. He started the series on a high, with 78 runs in the first innings of the first Test but his form has dipped post that knock. What is more disappointing is his mode of dismissals as he has played quite a few terrible shots which have led to his downfall.
England aren't really getting too much out of the experienced Yorkshire lad at the moment and as such, replacing him with Ben Foakes might not be a bad idea. Foakes is in decent knick as he scored a century against county side Kent last month. His batting average is just four less than that of Bairstow which is not a massive difference. Hence, the management should look to get Foakes into the playing 11.
#2 Terrible glovework
Wicketkeepers have a crucial role to play in the game, especially in the longest format of the game. Unfortunately for him and his side, Bairstow has had a really tough time behind the stumps in the ongoing Ashes series. He has dropped quite a few catches, some which have cost England heavily.
His keeping has not improved as the series has progressed and that is not helping England's cause. As such, Ben Foakes would be a better option as he is one of the best keepers in the world and arguably the best in England. He will provide his side assurance behind the stumps, which could go on to define the series.
#3 Ashes on the line
After losing the first couple of Tests, England have made a strong comeback to keep the Ashes alive. Hence, they should not continue to depend on the misfiring Bairstow, at least for now. Captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum like to back their players but they should look beyond Bairstow for the sake of the series.
The Ashes is on the line and in big series, tough calls are necessary. Former England skipper, Nasser Hussain also believes that England should drop him as his performance is letting the side down.