PURPLE PATCH: England’s in-form man who is reinventing Test cricket batting
Jonny Bairstow is showing England fans once again what it means to love cricket and is putting smiles on faces for the first time in what seems like an age.
Ben Stokes has trusted Bairstow with the bat since taking over the captaincy and his faith in the Bradford-born man is unquestionably paying off.
Just this year alone Bairstow has hit six centuries. That is at least 100 runs in a match, six times, at only the halfway point in the year. Making that stat more impressive is the fact that in doing so he has equalled the most centuries by an England player in a calendar year, and will surely surpass that total with six months still to go.
In his last few outings, he has been in astronomical form, landing four of those centuries in just three Tests.
In only five innings, Bairstow has somehow managed to hit 589 runs, helping England to numerous record run chases, something that seemed impossible only a few months ago.
Averaging 196 runs in the last five innings, Bairstow is also the leading Test run scorer in the world this year and will likely be more than comfortable in that position come the new year.
Spearheading an England resurgence alongside Joe Root, who has hit similar levels in recent matches, he has on more than one occasion been England’s saviour when all has looked lost.
After contributing to one of the most memorable comebacks of all time against India at Edgbaston, Bairstow has ensured an England win with all three of his last centuries and is well and truly re-inventing test cricket batting.
