ECB have accepted the IPL and presumably given the go ahead for established international players to participate in the past … Buttler, Stokes, Wood and Archer spring to mind. I don’t agree with it but the money on offer is too good to turn down for many ! All I’m saying is that players haven’t been dropped because of the IPL in the past and Bairstow in no way deserves being left out. He may be “rested” as there are several white ball games and more tests to play
They are still heavily reliant on older bowlers like Broad and Anderson because the rest are either injured too often or let themselves down. But with batting they want to reset and look to the future with fresh talent which is why I also think Malan despite being in excellent form won't be picked because he's 35 and they want to build to the next Ashes over here. If he was in their planning I reckon he would have been told to get his ass back to Yorkshire for some four day games. I think it's pretty telling he's been allowed to stay in India for Punjab.
Would be harsh to drop Bairstow after his form in the winter, but not sure what role they'll give him now that Stokes is batting at 6. I suspect they'll give him the gloves again. Talk of both Sibley and Burns being a bit more orthodox in their technique, Sibley in particular, and he carried his bat against a decent Lancashire attack last week. He might find himself at 3. Lees, Crawley, Sibley, Root, Lawrence, Stokes, Bairstow, Robinson, Mahmood, Broad, Parkinson But over the course of the summer, I'd expect the likes of Bracey, Bohannon and Brook to be in the frame for the number 3 and 5 spots.
Didn't see this happening. Strange appointment if you ask me. Presumably Kirsten didn't want it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/61400703
I'm quite happy with that. McCullum has been a brilliant captain and leader over the years. Transforming New Zealand cricket following Stephen Fleming's initial good work into one of the most aggressive and exciting sides in cricket. Thumbs up from me.
There’s no way Bairstow will get dropped. I don’t even know why I’m debating it as it’s DB3K who’s the only one saying otherwise.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/ben-foakes-364788/matches Ben Foakes is in England playing the long format in home conditions to prepare to hopefully get picked for the first test. He's had six innings this season and only flopped once. His five good scores are 132 not out, 45, 63, 48 not out and 91 in his latest match. He's done everything possible to be in the reckoning. Bairstow is spending the build up to a home test against the current champions and third in the test rankings by swinging his bat playing the shortest format in India. I can't see him coming back from the IPL and getting straight in to the test side with no warm up games. It wouldn't be fair on the form of Woakes and if Johnny was being thought about for the first test I would have thought by now the ECB would have had him come back for at least one Yorkshire match.
Which was fine when Stokes was batting at 5, as Bairstow played well batting at 6. His average at 5 is about 10 runs less than when he bats at 6 or 7.
He stated that number 6 is his preferred spot but a good captain shouldn’t be selfish. A batsman of his class shouldn’t have to bat worried if he’ll run out of partners, so he should be higher.
https://www.skysports.com/cricket/n...e-looks-to-make-england-test-team-great-again I don’t think it’s a selfish move. If he’s going to be captain, batter and bowler, shouldn’t have him at 5 and a specialist batter at 6.
I just don’t think a batsman of his ability should be coming in so late . He hasn’t a brilliant average but is capable of getting a big score ( as he has and admittedly at 6 ) so the sooner he starts the better . However he’s the man in the chair and he’s done alright. He won’t need to bowl as Broad and Anderson will both get fivefors !!
In an ideal world I prefer him at 5 as he can have more influence on the innings. However, with this side being 30/3 so often you really want him lower down to protect him a bit. If we were 150/3 on a regular basis like in the Strauss/Cook/Trott era he’s ideal at 5.