England's playing XI from Jonny Bairstow's debut - where are they now?
The ongoing India vs England match in Dharamsala is the 100th Test for both England’s Jonny Bairstow and India’s Ravichandran Ashwin. England won the toss and decided to bat first. They were bowled out for 218 in 57.4 overs, with Bairstow being dismissed for 29 off 18 balls in the second session of play.
Walking into bat at No. 5 on Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test on Thursday, March 7, Bairstow batted aggressively and struck two fours and two sixes. However, as has been the case throughout the series, he failed to convert his start. The 34-year-old, who got emotional during a presentation ceremony ahead of his landmark Test, fell to Kuldeep Yadav in the 44th over.
Bairstow became one of Kuldeep’s five victims, caught behind off a fuller googly as the England batter nicked a drive. While the batter failed in the first innings of the 100th Test, getting to the landmark is a big achievement, nonetheless.
The player made his Test debut against the West Indies at Lord's in London in May 2012. Bairstow was out for 16 in the first innings and was not out on 0 in the second as England won the game by five wickets. On that note, let’s look at where England’s players from Bairstow's Test debut are now.
Openers: Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss, who was captain in Bairstow’s debut Test, played his last Test in August 2012.
He ended his career with exactly 100 Tests. Post-retirement, Strauss took to management and was appointed director of England cricket in May 2015. He resigned his position in October 2018 to spend time with his wife, Ruth, who was battling cancer. Ruth died in December that year at the age of 46.
Alastair Cook retired from international cricket in September 2018 after amassing 12,472 runs in 161 Tests. He played his last first-class game in September 2023. Having quit playing all forms of cricket, Cook now works as an analyst, sharing his views on the game.
Middle-order: Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell
Jonathan Trott’s Test career ended amid anxiety issues in May 2015. He ended up playing 52 Tests, much fewer than what experts might have predicted when he was at his peak. The South African-born cricketer was named the Afghanistan coach in July 2022.
The flamboyant Kevin Pietersen, meanwhil,e had a highly successful career during which he played 103 Tests, 136 ODIs and 37 T20Is. He could have played a lot more but for his multiple controversies.
He was dropped after a poor Ashes in 2014 and never made a comeback. These days, Pietersen is a commentator, a job in which he has retained his colorful streak.
Ian Bell was a key figure in England’s Test line-up for a decade. After an extended run of poor form, he was dropped from the team in 2015. He announced his retirement from professional cricket in September 2020, ending his career with 118 Tests, 161 ODIs and eight T20Is.
Wicketkeeper: Matt Prior
Matt Prior was the wicketkeeper in Bairstow’s debut Test. He played his last Test against India at Lord’s in May 2014. Prior ended his Test career with 79 games, scoring over 4,000 runs at an average of 40.18.
He retired from professional cricket in June 2015 due to an Achilles injury, which required surgery.
Bowlers: Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and James Anderson
Pacer Tim Bresnan played 23 Tests for England, the last of which was in December 2013, but he played limited-overs matches until 2015. He was in the news during the Yorkshire County Cricket Club racism scandal, apologizing to Azeem Rafiq for bullying him.
England fast bowling legend Stuart Broad ended his glorious cricketing career in July 2023. It was a fairy-tale finish for Broad as he picked up the last two wickets to fall in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval. The right-arm pacer ended his career with 604 Test scalps in 167 games.
A late bloomer on the international stage, Graeme Swann ended his Test career with rather impressive numbers.
The canny off-spinner played 60 Tests and picked up 255 wickets. He retired from international cricket in December 2013 and took part in the BBC television show Strictly Come Dancing. These days, he's a much-loved commentator for his witty mannerisms.
Even as we write, James Anderson is giving his all in the Dharamsala Test against India. The 41-year-old is playing in his 187th Test and is just two short of completing 700 Test scalps. He's third on the list of leading wicket-takers, after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708).