Cook backs Jonny Bairstow for the third test

Alastair Cook has come out in support of Jonny Bairstow and has justified his selection for the third test. Bairstow has improved ‘unrecognizably’ according to Cook. The inclusion of Bairstow may not be the only change in the England line-up  for the third Investec Ashes Test as Mark Wood has failed to fully recover from  his ankle injury. He is likely to make way for Steven Finn in the playing eleven.

Form has favoured Bairstow in the recent past. He averaged 108.88 in the domestic arena this season and  also crafted a match winning and  a series-clinching 83 not out in the final ODI against New Zealand in June.

“Jonny couldn’t be in a better place,” Cook said. “I guess that’s what happens when you’re averaging 100. I haven’t seen him play for Yorkshire but I did when he toured the Caribbean with us and played for St Kitts in a mixed warm-up and got a brilliant 90.

“His game has improved unrecognisably from where he was before. Players are allowed to improve, but we have to remember that he got a really good 90 and 50 against a good pace attack against South Africa in 2012.”

“Jonny’s knocked the door down with his weight of runs for Yorkshire in Division One, they’re top of the league and he’s still averaging over 100 which is fantastic cricket at any level. He’s raring to go.”

Bairstow’s performance against Australia in the past has been below par. He has an average of just 22.90 with just a single half-century to his name. He would like to make a few ammends in the record books.

Bairstow has a history of issues with the short-pitched bowling but he seems to have found a way to counter all of them. He is a technically changed batsman. A higher backlift would mean that  he is quicker to attack the short ball and plays full bowling with a straighter bat. It has certainly turned the tables for him at the county level. The sight of him hooking compulsively in the Edgbaston nets on Monday suggests that the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Starc will have to be wary of this man who seems to have found his way forward.

Cook stressed that it would be a toss-up between Wood and Finn depending on the degree of fitness levels Wood is able to notch up on the morning of the test match.

“I’ll say with the forecast around, it’s not the heatwave people have talked about, it will be Finny. Considering Wood’s past record, he’s played a huge amount of cricket over the last six or seven months, compared to what he has done for Durham. We’ve got to be careful and we’ll make that call in the morning. Finny has bowled really well for Middlesex and in the one-dayers so whichever way we go, whoever gets the nod is the lucky one.”