England’s national selector Ed Smith backed Jonny Bairstow to make a comeback to the Test team, after the wicketkeeper-batsman was not picked for the series in New Zealand.
Bairstow managed only 214 runs from 10 innings in the Ashes and lost his spot, with Jos Buttler set to take over as the main keeper. Smith said Bairstow would be an ‘asset’ once he regained form.
“I remember sitting with Jonny when he’d missed a game in Sri Lanka (in 2018) and I said, ‘it won’t be long, not because I’m predicting somebody will get dropped but because you’re a very good player and very good players come back’. A week later he was raising his bat having scored a Test hundred,” Smith told the Sunday Times.
“That will be one way selectors can really contribute to successful teams – thinking about the person and having a strong sense of care, supporting them emotionally and psychologically, so if a crunch point is coming you manage it the best way.
“He’s a key player who has played well in all formats. Jonny was selected in 2012 as an outstanding young batsman and since then his first-class average outside Tests is 57. That’s how good he is and Jonny at his best would be a huge asset.”
Smith said while selection came under his perview, he’d leave the call for picking the final XI to the captain Joe Root and coach Chris Silverwood.
“Chris is very organised and likes to have a clear process that happens every time,” he said. “So we will have a call two days out before every Test match between me and Chris, or James (Taylor) and Chris.
“We’ll look at the option… if it’s these conditions that guy, in those conditions that guy. Two days out you have that discussion, so everyone is in the loop. I’m very comfortable with that.
“If the question is who should have the final say on the final XI, it should be the captain and coach, because you’ve got to go with what you want. That’s as it should be.”
