Stokes backs struggling Bairstow

The dashing batter has scored 102 runs in six innings since arriving in India.

Ranchi: Jonny Bairstow has scored 102 runs in six innings since arriving in India. Worse yet, he has looked abysmal when he’s at the crease. 

Even at the ‘nets’ on Wednesday, the 34-year-old Yorkshireman was a rather bland right, hitting without conviction and defending without purpose. He was in stark contrast to the likes of Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley but England are going to struggling right-hander. 

Bairstow is in the playing XI for the game starting on Friday, and even better, skipper Ben Stokes hasn’t even had a conversation with the England No. 5 about it. 

“No, none,” said Stokes when asked if he had had a chat with the out-of-form player. “What’s the need?!”

This, evidently, is part of the ‘Bazball’ narrative, but that doesn’t mean England are going into the fourth Test blind. They have brought in Ollie Robinson for Mark Wood, and Shoaib Bashir for Rehan Ahmed. 

Robinson is in to extract bounce from his high delivery point. The same logic has been applied to inject Bashir into the scheme of things. 

While this could suggest that the Englishmen have an idea of how the pitch is going to play, Stokes still seemed as uncertain as he was the day prior regarding the surface. 

“It should assist spin, but I also feel that having two seamers... I feel we have a good chance purely because of Robinson's release height and the relentlessness with his areas,” said the English skipper, who remained noncommittal about bowling. 

“There is a bit more grass taken off from yesterday. You do expect the wicket to look different on the day before than two days out. Overall thinking and understanding is that it hasn't changed much from yesterday.”

“We won't go with many pre-conceived ideas. The pitch could be as flat as a pancake. Who knows. If it is that, we will adapt,” he added. 

Speaking of James Anderson’s longevity and heart, Stokes couldn’t help but offer a chuckle before saying: “If you were to have someone as a role model when a youngster sets out to be a fast bowler, it can be Jimmy Anderson.

"He is the one person you want to be a role model. Not just the wickets he has got, but the fact that he can keep going at this age. Back from a very high workload Test last week to still be fit and ready to go and feeling fresh as a fiddle... His wickets, his longevity and his age... unbelievable role model."