By Our Nepotism Columnist, Steve Jobsfortheboys
AHMEDEBAD, INDIA – England captain Joe Root assured reporters that he retained full faith in his best mate Jonny Bairstow ahead of the Fourth Test against India, as “he may have made two ducks in t’book, but he racked up back-to-back tons in my heart.”
Bairstow, who is apparently a cricketer as well as Root’s bestest buddy since they came through the youth system together at Yorkshire, endured a torrid time in the day-night test. Having been recalled to the side to shore up England’s batting, his rusty gate shepherded through two innocuous deliveries from Axar Patel as he subsided to ducks in both innings.
However, it seems the two closest amigos in all the cricketing world will stay inseparable for at least another match. Root was complimentary of his ol’ pal Jonny’s efforts, reiterating, “In terms of actual runs JB may have made zero, but the number of lad points he contributed over the course of the match was off the scale. It was great banter, it really was.”
“He was a big scorer where it counts – in here,” went on Root, patting the left side of his chest with an open palm. “The emotional impact he had on me meant more than mere runs ever could. I dare you to name me another number three who could make me feel like this. I’ll wait.”
With England staring series defeat in the face, questions were asked about whether the more cautious, accumulation-driven style of Rory Burns or Keaton Jennings might have been a better fit for the winter tour of the subcontinent. Yet Root confirmed to the massed media that Bairstow was ‘the number one test batsman for having a good time’, and that his technique for banter is ‘second to none’.
“Remember YJB’s oh-so-playful and not at all bizarre and aggressive headbutt of Cameron Bancroft down the pub a few years ago? Good times,” chuckled Root. “Not for Bancroft obviously cause he had to spend the night in A & E getting his nose strapped up. But for the lads, absolutely. Bory Burns would never have contributed anywhere near as much craic.
“Or what about his really fun, thinly-veiled anger management issues? Nothing to worry about there either. But life’s a party with Jon in the XI, that’s for sure.”
“The real runs were the friends we made along the way,” reflected Bairstow, practising ugly swipes across the line in the nets and getting cleaned up by Jeetan Patel.
Jonny Bairstow has 73 test caps. Ben Foakes has 7.
Dan Flanagan
Is there any evidence Root and YJB are close friends? Simply playing for Yorkshire doesn’t mean much – ask Adil Rashid. Simon Hughes posted a notorious Tweet a couple of years back that YJB was “unpopular” within the set-up which usually means senior players which one would have thought included Root. Root’s best friend around the squad used to be Gary Ballance who went on one tour seemingly to keep Root company when the team wasn’t playing.
Nobody much questioned YJB’s place in the team for India before his pair. Indeed most people believed he was one of England’s better players of spin, something his record in SL seemed to support (although if we’ve learnt one thing in the last two weeks it should be how weak SL were). Stuffing the team with batting seems a sensible tactic for the last Test by England and although another look at Burns might have had something to be said for it, it could also be seen as something of a hospital pass.
I would disagree about stuffing the team with batting.
For me, it’s an abysmal piece of selection–there are virtually no situations where playing eight batsmen isn’t. It reeks of fear–which an opponent leading in the series will pick up immediately. It leaves someone who should be a front-line batsman–in this case Foakes–effectively a tailender. It risks tiring out the bowlers, and in this case it risks (further?) injuring Stokes. And it leaves the bowling pitifully thin–three front line bowlers of whom one has been left out of the last two tests and has been wildly inconsistent this winter (actually Bess might have got the biggest hospital pass out of this selection), plus three part-timers one of whom is a one-day trundler and another is slightly ill, undercooked as a bowler and (apparently) carrying an injury.
Almost literally anyone in the entire squad or the reserves who’s fit, barring Burns or Bracey, would have been a worse selction.
I agree. There have been some ridiculous match day selections since Silverwood took over. I really question his cricketing IQ at times.
We’ve gone from occasionally picking six bowlers, to picking five seamers and no spinner, to now picking just four bowlers one of whom hardly bowls now (Stokes), one who was apparently unselectable two weeks ago (Bess), and one who’s in his late 30s who’s workload should be carefully managed. It’s a complete head scratcher and very worrying imho. What exactly goes through their heads?
I agree with you both. It beats me how Bess can have gone from unselectable to front line bowler on the basis of not playing ! Similarly, unless Stokes has recovered from whatever (we weren’t really told) it was that meant he was at best an occasional bowler, the attack looks dangerously thin. I’ve posted before about how ridiculous our rotation policy is, but on reflection I think we might profitably extend it to coach and selectors !
So Root is happy with Bairstiw in just for his “banter”. Really? Is this a joke? More like he is in because he is his best mate.
Well I’m not a Bairstow fan and don’t think he is a number 3. Problem is who really has nailed down a place in 1,2,3? No one. At least Burns does score more runs even if he isn’t the full ticket.
England out for 205 even with a full batting line up. Just can’t play spin, not that many balls did.
We’re not talking embarrassment of riches here, as you point out, but Burns doesn’t score more runs. He averages 30.73 and Bairstow averages 33.33 in the top three.
Ok fair enough. But a least Burns was providing some sort of settled top 3. And really Bairstow is a number 6 at best if he is going to play, but I’m afraid he may be past his best as far as Tests go.
I can see Anderson getting injured with this selection policy. Looks as if he may be having a slight problem with his front ankle. Really he should almost be kept in wraps until the Ashes, if he makes it that far. Maybe Stone would have been a better option.
But problem is we can’t play good spin.
Once again maybe folk need reminding India couldn’t play Root in the last test.
That’s irrelevant, unless you’re an Indian fan or selector. It’s like saying “I didn’t commit that crime because you committed the same crime a day later”.
The relevance is perspective.
Bairstow did play the spin well in Sri Lanka only a few weeks ago. I certainly wouldn’t drop anyone in the wake of the last test fiasco, which I believe is best forgotten. Burns clearly has issues against spin, as he’s shown from last summer’s ashes, though I would pencil him back in after this tour if he has a decent start to the season. It’s generally handy having a lefty in a right handed top order.
This selection seems to presume this pitch isn’t going to be much different from the last. I’m of the opinion that if 6 batsmen can’t cut the mustard 7 wont make much difference. To win the game we have to take wickets, no matter how many runs we score and we should be looking to win this one. Playing to avoid an embarrassing defeat from the start usually has the same effect as pulling out of a tackle to avoid injury, it just makes things worse. Certainly Kohli will be rubbing his hands as this sends out a message of low self confidence in the England camp. Shoring up a sinking ship comes to mind.
4 innings in India-3 ducks; but I expect his banter was worthwhile.