Jonny Bairstow: From all-format expert to limited overs specialist
Jonny Bairstow's ouster from England's Test setup may have come as a bit of a shocker for some, but ardent followers of English cricket will agree that it was inevitable. The English wicket-keeper batsmen had an ordinary Ashes and was not much of a threat to the Australian bowlers as Tim Paine and Co retained the urn on English soil.
Bairstow scored a platry 214 runs in five Tests and crossed the 50-run mark just once in the series, which in turn compelled the England selectors to drop the Yorkshireman for England's Test tour of New Zealand.
Not so long ago, the English batsman was considered an all-format batsman; many cricket enthusiasts believed that Bairstow's batting style suited the longer format of the game just as it did the shorter formats. But things changed in 2017 as he modified his game in the limited-overs format and became a constant in England's greatest ever ODI side.
Since 2017, Jonny Bairstow has scored just three Test 100s and has shown signs of inconsistency. But the same hasn't been the case in the shorter formats of the game; the dynamic wicket-keeper batsman has scored a plethora of runs for England in white-ball cricket.
Bairstow's deeds with the bat paved the path for his debut in the Indian Premier League, where Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired his services.
Bairstow's partnership with David Warner at the top was key to SRH's success. Many labelled his first season as one of the most emphatic debut campaigns ever witnessed in the history of IPL.
The diligent Englishman scored 445 runs in 10 matches before flying back to fulfill international duties.
Bairstow might have had a slow start in the ICC World Cup 2019, but he came to form at the right time. He scored back-to-back hundreds against India and New Zealand in crucial group stage encounters to help England reach the knockouts.
The aforementioned group ties were do-or-die battles for the English and Bairstow was instrumental in those victories. His perseverance at the top coupled with his ability to dismantle the opposition bowling units are what make him one of the finest openers of the world in ODI cricket.
Since 2017, Bairstow has scored a total of 1585 in 31 Tests with just three 100s and has seemed to struggle against the red ball. But he has truly flourished against the white ball in the same period as he has garnered a total of 2403 runs from 52 ODIs which include a remarkable nine 100s.
By looking at Bairstow's numbers in Tests and limited overs cricket, one can point out that the Yorkshireman's style of play has tilted towards the shorter formats of the game. In effect, Bairstow has had a transition from an all-format expert to a limited overs specialist.
His axing may have made the headlines everywhere, but it might be time to realise that Bairstow is more at home in the shorter format than in Test cricket.
Also see – World Test Championship Schedule