ENG vs IND: Playing Against India Is Always A Fantastic Challenge - Jonny Bairstow

England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow said that he still has the appetite to perform in Test cricket and make an impact in England’s restructural process.

England are coming fresh from drubbing New Zealand 3-0 to kick off on a high note under the new era of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. For the first time in the history of Test cricket, a team chased 250-plus targets in three successive games – 277 at Lord’s, 299 at Trent Bridge and 296 at Headingley.

My appetite to play Test cricket for England will never cease: Jonny Bairstow

Bairstow played a vital role in two successful run-chase in Nottingham and Leeds. He hit the second-fastest Test hundred (in 77 balls) by an England batter at Trent Bridge to take England past the finishing line in just 50 overs.

The Yorkshireman registered back-to-back hundreds, scoring 162 in the first innings at Headingley after England were reeling at 55/6. Bairstow forged a 241-run stand for the seventh wicket with debutant Jamie Overton to help England take a slender lead of 31 runs. Bairstow finished the New Zealand Test series with 394 runs at an average of 78.80.

“That fire is always in my belly. My appetite to play Test cricket for England will never cease and the passion, the will and the want are most definitely there. All I can say is that it’s nice to have the backing of everybody,” Bairstow told Nasser Hussain in an interview for Daily Mail.

“If the opportunity arises again, I’d love to do it. I kept for a couple of sessions at Headingley and it was good fun,” he added.

We will try to put our best foot forward to win another game of cricket: Jonny Bairstow on playing against India

England are trailing the five-match Test series to India 1-2 after losing matches at Lord’s and The Oval but managed to win at Headingley. England will salvage their chances to level the series when they take on India in the rescheduled fifth Test in Birmingham on Friday (July 1).

“We will concentrate on us and try to put our best foot forward to win another game of cricket. Playing against India is always a fantastic challenge and it should be great fun,” said Bairstow, who made 184 runs in four matches against India last year.

The rescheduled fifth Test will start later today at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “We Trust Each Other’s Games Now To Just Go And Play” – Jonny Bairstow On His On-field Chemistry With Ben Stokes