WI vs ENG: I Am Very Passionate About Playing Test Cricket - Jonny Bairstow

England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow said he is very passionate to play Test cricket after scoring a magnificent century against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Tuesday.

England started their resumption of Test cricket with a few changes were seen in their Test side after a thumping 0-4 defeat to Australia in the Ashes. However, the tourists didn’t have the ideal start they might have proposed for, England were reduced to 48 for four in 16 overs but Bairstow was on a rescue mission for his team.

WI vs ENG: Jonny Bairstow rescues England on Day 1

Bairstow joined forces with Ben Stokes and the pair put 67 runs for their partnership before the England all-rounder was knocked out by West Indies pacer Jayden Seales. Bairstow was too motivated to play a whirlwind knock and justify his importance in the England Test side after he was sidelined for the first three Tests in the Ashes.

The Yorkshire player was successful in stopping the West Indies bowlers from causing any further damage to his side as he hammered 17 boundaries in his 216-ball unbeaten knock of 109. Bairstow scored 49 runs in his last 58 balls of the day as England finished 266/8 at the stumps.

I am absolutely delighted: Jonny Bairstow

The 32-year-old said he was delighted after the start he got in the three-match Test series against West Indies and aimed to push the team’s total to somewhere around 350.

“I am very passionate about playing Test cricket. I am absolutely delighted. It has been a good start to the year and hopefully, that can continue,” Bairstow said at the end of the gameplay on Day 1. 

“It is going to be an interesting one tomorrow morning. It will be a big morning session. We would like to push on to 320-350. Anything from there is a bonus from the start we had. If you look too far ahead you can very quickly come up short,” he ended. 

Apart from all-rounder Jason Holder, who bowled a terrific spell of 2/15 from 16 overs on Day 1, no other bowlers from West Indies could control the flow of runs from England.

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