Jonny Bairstow has stated that he feels his “game’s in the best place it’s been” as he gears up for a Test return in Sri Lanka.

Bairstow hasn’t played a Test match in over a year, with his last appearance coming against South Africa in the 2019 Boxing Day Test at Centurion. In 18 Tests since the end of the 2017/18 winter, he averages 23.03, with 17 of his 33 dismissals coming either bowled or lbw, with some commenting on an apparent weakness against straight fast bowling. However, he has remained a pivotal part of England’s white-ball sides in that time.

His only Test ton in that period came in Sri Lanka at No.3, a role he looks likely to fill again on England’s return to the country, and Bairstow is confident he can play a key role.

“I genuinely think my game’s in the best place it’s been,” he said. “Obviously there have been periods when I’ve wanted to work on different things. Techniques do change; they’re ever evolving.

“The work I’ve put into my game and the runs I’ve got left in the tank over the next three, four, five years… I definitely believe I can be a huge contributor to English cricket in the Test arena. I’ve proved it in the past.”

Bairstow was bullish when defending his overall Test record, comparing himself to Matt Prior, who the Yorkshireman replaced behind the stumps in the Test side.

“I’m less than 60 runs short of Matty Prior’s runs on pretty much exactly the same amount of innings,” Bairstow said. “He averaged 40, I average 35. But he’s had something like 20 not outs while I’ve only had seven. So if you do the numbers on it, I’m still averaging and scoring. It’s just the not outs which are a bit different.”

Statistically, Prior ranks among the greatest glovemen to have played the game; only Adam Gilchrist and Andy Flower have scored more Test runs at a better average as a keeper. Bairstow’s record, unusually, is better as a keeper than as a specialist batsman, with his average more than 10 runs per dismissal better as a keeper than as a batsman. However, with Ben Foakes and Jos Buttler also in the squad to face Sri Lanka, it’s almost certainly the latter role he will be fulfilling for the time being.