Ashes 2015: Underfire English team recalls Jonny Bairstow for the 3rd Ashes test

Ashes 2015: Underfire English team recalls Jonny Bairstow for the 3rd Ashes test: The English selectors announced the 13-man national squad for the 3rd Investec Ashes test to be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham from 29^th July on wards. The lone change in the squad is the inclusion of Jonny Bairstow while Steve Finn and Adil Rashid have also retained their places in the squad. The out-of-form Garry Balance has been shown the exit door after his string of low scores this summer where he could manage a mere total of 134 runs in eight Test innings.

Bairstow has been in the form of his life with a mind-boggling tally of 906 runs in the domestic Championship at 100.66 with five centuries against his name. Recently, Jonny compiled a blinder knock of 83 runs off just 60 balls in the 5^th ODI to secure a famous series victory against New Zealand.

James Whitaker, the national selector, said, “Gary was naturally disappointed to miss out on this occasion, however we feel that he will benefit from some time in county cricket to rediscover his form,”

“He has already had plenty of success at international level and, as selectors, we are confident Gary will play a significant role for England in the future.”

He further said: “The break ahead of the third Test will give the squad time to reflect on the series so far and a chance to focus on playing the positive, confident cricket we saw in Cardiff. Jonny has worked extremely hard at his game and his record for Yorkshire speaks for itself. He fully deserves this opportunity.”

England suffered a mammoth loss of 405 runs in the second test at Lord’s after which the local media had gone berserk with the team’s top-order’s persistent letdown as well overall performance. Although, Ian Bell is also suffering with a prolonged slump of form as he has accumulated only 116 runs in 8 innings this summer at a below par average of about 14. Bell hardly looks the shadow of himself after the previous Ashes series held on the English soil.

Now, with selection of Bairstow as a specialist batsman in the team, the English batting order is set to reshuffle with Ian Bell and Joe Root moving to the 3^rd and 4^th batting slots respectively as Jonny Bairstow would bat at no.5 position. Bell has enjoyed a good run in the top-order as in 22 Tests at the no.3 position, he has averaged 39.27.

Bairstow was elated at this selection and said: “I am very pleased to have been called up. Consistency-wise I think I am in my best form and striking the ball well and hopefully this will continue. Playing international cricket is a great challenge but that is why we play the game .If you don’t challenge yourself you will never find anything out about yourself. Hopefully, I will be able to get in and score runs. I have been very positive at the crease this season and will try and take that into the Ashes series.

So far, Bairstow has played 14 Tests with a batting average of 26.95 and his last test came against the Australians at Sydney in January 2014 during the Ashes series.

England Squad:

Alastair Cook (c), Adam Lyth, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson, Adil Rashid, Steven Finn.