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Jonny Bairstow is in a race against time to be fit for England’s two Test series in New Zealand in February after his broken leg earlier this year slipped on the golf course.
Jonny Bairstow is struggling to be fit for England’s two Test series in New Zealand in February after breaking his leg in a freak golfing accident in September.
It was originally thought that Bairstow could only miss the remainder of 2022, and while England will also travel to Bangladesh for a series of white balls in March, the most likely date for his return is understood to be in the Indian Premier League later that month. , when he hopes to resume ties with Punjab Kings.
Assuming Bairstow isn’t ready to take the field against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on February 16, the gloves will remain with Ben Foakes, who missed the first two Tests in Pakistan due to a combination of illness and selection issues, but he regained the wicketkeeping role from substitute Ollie Pope, and on Sunday helped Harry Brook save England’s first innings over a 117-wicket sixth-stand.
Jonny Bairstow is in a race against time to be fit for England’s two Test tour of New Zealand
Bairstow was among the driving forces of England’s Bazball revolution over the summer, crashing 589 runs off 578 balls in five innings, including four hundred, against New Zealand and India. That made six Test centuries in 2022, equaling the most by an England player in a calendar year.
If he hadn’t slipped while walking to a tee at Pannal Golf Club near Harrogate just hours after being named in England’s T20 World Cup squad, breaking his left leg and dislocating his ankle, he might now own the record completely.
Given the success of Brook and Pope in Pakistan, Bairstow’s eventual return will leave selectors with a headache, with Foakes potentially under pressure once more.
The batsman (right) was an early owner of the aggressive style adopted by Ben Stokes (left) and Brendon McCullum.