If Joe Root Isn't Around We Need To Be Good Enough To Adapt - Jonny Bairstow

Swashbuckling England opener, Jonny Bairstow opines that the team certainly missed Joe Root in the first ODI against India on Tuesday. England was on course to a victory with a 135-run opening stand in a chase of 318.

However, the visitors suffered a collapse as Indian bowlers romped back into the game bowling the opposition out for 251 to take lead in the 3-match series. Jonny Bairstow was England’s top scorer with 94 runs from 66 deliveries.

In absence of Joe Root, who is rested from the ODI series after leading the Three Lions in 6 Tests in Asia, Ben Stokes came to bat at number three, however, the left-hander was dismissed for a single run.

None of the following batsmen could convert their starts as they perished while taking the attack to the bowlers – which has been the way Eoin Morgan wants his team to bat despite the risk of losing wickets.

We didn’t and that will have hurt the guys: Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow reckons a calming presence of somebody like Joe Root – who has been a regular feature in the ODI side in spite of being discarded from the T20I eleven – was needed as he would have held one end.

The opener asserts that in absence of their talisman number 3 batsmen, others in the line-up needed to adapt, but couldn’t on Tuesday. Jonny Bairstow, who has been in supreme form in white-ball cricket notwithstanding his red-ball struggles, believes that England still has enough firepower to avenge their loss in the first ODI.

“If Joe isn’t around we need to be good enough to adapt. We are good enough as a team, as a batting unit, to get over the line. We didn’t and that will have hurt the guys,” Jonny Bairstow was quoted as saying by India Today.

Captain Eoin Morgan has also acknowledged that the team missed Root at number 3 – however, he also points out that giving the Test skipper rest was preplanned, according to the player rest and rotation policy instigated by the ECB to give its players rest from the bio-bubble.

“Joe is world-class, particularly at number three spot for us. His role is such an important one for us. Him missing out leaves a massive hole, but he needs rest and he needs to spend time with his family,” Eoin Morgan said.

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